Religion and difference : contested contemporary issues In democracies of advanced plurality religion is a contested and powerful part of public discussions and practices. Today religious difference is articulated and negotiated controversially in interaction with other spheres of society. While there are clear tendencies of increasing polarization we also encounter moments of acknowledgement and appreciation of plurality. Facing these complexities and challenges of our time this volume scrutinizes contested practices where religious difference matters. Committed to an interdisciplinary exchange between theology the study of religion and political philosophy this volume is grounded in the attention for concrete practices and phenomena as well as the conviction that difference is both a productive concept and an enriching experience. Exploring practices of shared places sexuality justice and the commitment to the human being in education migration and violent conflicts the volume as a whole contributes to the analysis of contested social and political practices in order to investigate the significance and role of religion in contemporary societies and thus it further develops theoretical reflection about religion in contemporary research.