Introduction: Rethinking Religion and Globalization

Young people and religious actors in a globalized world. Introduction

“…The ability of their leaders to take advantage of the blurring of borders, which frees them from the constraints of nation-states and enables them to reach the faithful on a global scale (Casanova, 1997), should not be underestimated. Religious associations have long taken advantage of advances in communications and transportation to bring believers together in all kinds of 'internationals' (Green and Viaene, 2012) dedicated to spreading a spiritual and social message, often oriented toward global solidarity. Young people (especially students), who are more mobile and malleable, have been a particular target of these efforts (Banchoff, 2016;Colon, 2000;Harang, 2010;Rodrigue, 1990).…”

“…La capacité de leurs responsables à tirer parti de l'effacement des frontières, qui les libère du carcan des États-nations et leur permet d'atteindre les fidèles à l'échelle mondiale (Casanova, 1997), ne doit pas être sousestimée. Les associations religieuses ont depuis longtemps profité des progrès des communications et des transports pour réunir les croyants dans toutes sortes d' « internationales » (Green et Viaene, 2012) advantage of the opportunity for proselytizing (Chen, 2011).…”

Introduction: Agents of Internationalism

“…In this context 'religious internationalism' becomes an umbrella term for a broad spectrum of international religious activity in the modern world. 18 Apart from an often restrictive focus on definitions and normative prescriptions, and resulting neglect of alternative versions of trans-or internationalism, another stumbling block in the literature has been an at times confused understanding of the role of the nation-state in the world of transnational contacts, networks and connections. Initially, the problem was that toppling the state from its position as the main analytical category made it fall out of focus completely, and in realityonce no longer corrupted by 'methodological nationalism' -everything was ultimately connected and 'trans-national'.…”

The First Heritage International(s): Conceptualizing Global Networks before UNESCO

“…By choosing the term, I do not want to suggest that the 'Heritage Internationals' were like the 'Socialist Internationals'; 20 I propose it rather as a metaphor to structure the profusion of international, transnational and transcultural activities and networks concerned with heritage and to problematize relations. Moreover, like scholars who speak of 'religious internationals' to capture the formation of global religious movements during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, 21 I find the term useful to draw attention to the fact that the internationalization of heritage preservation was part of a broader move toward internationalization. While the looseness of networks might not always make the label of 'International' with a capital I seem fitting, borrowing the idea of successive internationals from the socialist also helps to think about reasons for disruption and continuity in relation to the history of 'internationalism in the age of nationalism' more broadly.…”