For those who are interested, next month I’ll be giving a faculty workshop at Università LUMSA (Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta) in Rome. The workshop, sponsored by the university’s law faculty, will take place on March 7. I’ll present my current draft, “Of Human Dignities,” a reflection on the incompatible understandings of dignity in contemporary human rights law, especially with respect to religious freedom . Details about the event are here. My talk will be in English. CLR Forum readers in Italy, please stop by and say hello!
Fai, “Civilizing the Chinese, Competing with the West”
In January, the Columbia University Press released “Civilizing the Chinese, Competing wth the West: Study Societies in Late Qing China,” by Chen Hon Fai (Lingnan University). The publisher’s description follows:
This book explores the development of late 19th century study societies in China against the context of the decline of the imperial Qing government and its control
on ideological production, widespread social unrest, and intrusions by Western imperialist states. The author uncovers the history of civil society activism in China by examining the study societies in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hunan, which were organized around the goal of promoting and defending the Confucian religion. Illustrating a facet of the civil society that emerged in China as a reaction to the influences of Christianity, the modernization of Confucianism, and nationalist state formation, this study extends understanding of the unique and complex processes of Chinese political and cultural modernization in ways that differed from that of Western societies.
“Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe: Latvia” (Danovskis, ed.)
In January, Brill released “Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe: Latvia,” edited by Edvins Danovskis (University of Latvia). The publisher’s description follows:
This volume of Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe covers Latvia and consists of an annotated collection of legal documents affecting the status of 
Islam and Muslims. The legal texts are published in the original Latvian language while the annotations and supporting material are in English. By legal documents are meant the texts of legislation, including relevant secondary legislation, as well as significant court decisions. Each legal text is preceded by an introduction describing the historical, political and legal circumstances of its adoption, plus a short paragraph summarising its content. The focus of the collection is on the religious dimensions of being Muslim in Europe, i.e. on individuals’ access to practise their religious obligations and on the ability to organise and manifest their religious life.