1. EURESOURCE Research Programme Religious Sources of Solidarity

2. EURESOURCE religious sources of solidarity setting questions aims theory strategy data management planning output Comparative Research of Religion and Solidarity in Europe

3. Setting NORFACE EU-consortium of national funds for fundamental research with its pilot: ‘Religion as a social force in Europe’. Founding of Nijmegen REMICUSO network. Researchmanagement. EURESOURCE religious sources of solidarity

4. Questions 1.To what extent do Europeans’ religious characteristics re-emerge longitudinally (1980-2006) in the various European countries during recent decades? 2.To what extent are longitudinal fluctuations (1980-2006) discernible in solidary attitudes and practices in the following solidarity domains in various European countries? 1.supporting family and friends 2.supporting members of the community and civil society 3.supporting society at large 3.To what extent do certain religious characteristics relate to aspects of solidarity; or to what extent has religion been a social force supporting solidarity over recent decades? Do the effects of religiosity decrease, increase or remain stable over time? 4.To what extent does the national context of religious and ethnic pluralism further explain and/or moderate the relation between characteristics of religion and solidarity? 5.To what extent do expectations of religious support of solidarity among focus groups match or redefine the observed trends? EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

5. Aims To clarify and explain the social force that religion exerts in supporting solidary attitudes and behaviour in the changing religious landscape of Europe. Clarify trends in religion. Clarify trends in solidarity. Clarify trends in religious support of solidarity. European significance: ‘Solidarity is the European criterion of social cohesion, a norm for future generations’ responsibility and the bedrock of common values’ (Barroso 2005). Christianity ‘acts as moral and spiritual heritage of European nations’ (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000). EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

6. Theory European countries differ in their formal and informal characteristics of religion: typology church-state-conflict (Rokkan). European countries differ in their formal and informal characteristics of solidarity: typology welfare-regimes (Esping-Andersen). Trend hypotheses: informalisation of religion and formalisation of solidarity. EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

7. Strategies Quantitative approach: cross-national research design for 22 European countries. –Descriptive overview at national levels. –European case studies. –Systematic comparison of countries, including migration factor. –Fourthly, trans-national analysis according to typologies. Qualitative approach: –Selection of profile groups –Construction of focusgroups in three national settings –Develop fresh indicators for religion and solidarity EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

8. Data 1.International Social Survey (in particular the modules on Religion (1991, 1998) and Social Networks (1986, 2001) 2.European Values Study 3.European Social Survey (surveys conducted in 2002, 2004, 2006) 4.Euro-barometer EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

9. Management EURESOURCE –Headquarters: Faculty of Religious Studies of Radboud University Nijmegen –Supported by REMICUSO, the Nijmegen network for empirical research in religion. –Management agreements met in a business plan. Post-doctoral project: longitudinal changes in religiosity and solidarity –Location Radboud University Nijmegen –Supervisors: Prof. Dr Peer Scheepers and Dr Hans Schilderman. 1st junior project: religious support of solidarity with intimate others –Location United Kingdom. –Supervisors: Prof. Dr Leslie Francis, Prof. Dr Jacques Janssen and Dr Hans Schilderman. 2nd junior project: religious support of solidarity with community and civil society –Location Radboud University Nijmegen. –Supervisors: Prof. Dr Peer Scheepers and Dr Hans Schilderman. 3rd junior project: religious support of solidarity with the state –Location Germany –Supervisors: Dr Sigrid Roßteutscher, Prof. Dr Eelke de Jong and Dr Hans Schilderman (Nijmegen). EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

10. Planning Phase 1: Construction of the datasets. –May-December 2007. Phase 2: Theoretical propositions and empirical analysis at national levels. –Analyses: January 2008 – May 2008. –Work Conference A: Religion and Solidarity in Europe, Nijmegen, May 2008. –EURESOURCE Publication series 1: Religion and Solidarity in European Countries, November 2008. Phase 3: Theoretical propositions and empirical analyses at trans-national levels. –Analyses: November 2008 – May 2009. –Work Conference B: Religion as Solidary Force in Europe, United Kingdom, May 2009. –EURESOURCE Publication series 2: Religion as Solidary Force in Europe, November 2009. Phase 4: Theoretical integration. –Analyses: November 2009-May 2010. –Work Conference C: European Trends in Religious Solidarity, Germany, May 2010. –EURESOURCE Publication series 3: Religious trends in European Solidarity, November 2010. Phase 5: International Conference ‘Religious Sources of Solidarity in Europe’. –Expert-meetings and master-classes. –Critical discussion of EURESOURCE results. –Invitation of other NORFACE-projects. –Nijmegen, December 2010. EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity

11. Output The following publications are to be achieved: –Proceedings Work conference A (Nijmegen 2008) –Proceedings Work conference B (United Kingdom 2009) –Proceedings Work conference C (Germany 2010) –Volume International Conference (Nijmegen 2011) –Dissertation 1 (Nijmegen 2011) –Dissertation 2 (2011) –Dissertation 3 and 4 (2011) –Additional articles EURESOURCE Religious Sources of Solidarity