DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM: Associate Professor Pellegrini
DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES: Assistant Professor Becker

The Program in Religious Studies explores religious practice as an important aspect of social life in three ways. Students study the theories and methods by which religion is analyzed today, including psychological, sociological, anthropological, philosophical, historical, legal, and literary approaches. They also approach the study of “religion” as a concept, which has itself been an intellectual object of inquiry, and has played a key role in the development of the social and human sciences. Second, students learn empirically about religion in different times and places either through historical or ethnographic study, using textual, visual, and audio sources. Third, approached as lived practices, religions present us with a valuable lens through which many realms in social life can be examined: gender and sexuality, race, the nation-state, violence, memory, ethics, emotions, politics, economy, power, art, literature, and media. These realms, in turn, impact upon religions. The Program in Religious Studies is closely affiliated with the Center for Religion and Media. It should be stressed that the program is oriented toward the academic analysis of religious phenomena and does not promote or endorse either religious belief itself or the views and practices of any particular religious tradition.

Faculty

Associate Professors:
Pellegrini, Zito

Assistant Professor:
Becker

Associated Faculty:
Bedos-Rezak, Browning, Carruthers, Chelkowski, Diner, D. Fleming, K. Fleming, Gilsenan, Ginsburg, Goelet, Griffiths, Haykel, Hull, Johnson, Kahn, Kapchan, Katz, Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Klein, Krabbenhoft, Kupperman, Levene, Marshall, Muñoz, Myers, Regalado, Roesner, Ronell, Rubenstein, Schiffman, Smith, Taylor, Thomson, Vitz, Wosh