American Academy of Religion

Lincoln Mullen, author of "The Chance of Salvation: A History of Conversion in America," joins Kristian Petersen in a conversation about the spectrum of religious identity in American history and how the phenomena of conversion is an opening which allows scholars to study a variety of religious groups—and their relationships to each other. Mullen is the winner of the 2018 Best First Book in the History of Religions.

When humanities scholars talk about exploring and pursuing “alt-ac” and “post-ac” careers, two concerns often dominate the conversation: 1) Graduate studies in the humanities don’t prepare us for or aren’t relevant to non-academic career paths, and 2) We don’t know where to look for or how to apply for non-academic jobs. Whether you are a scholar thinking about non-academic careers or a faculty member interested in supporting students engaged in such searches, join our panel of career services experts to discuss the many careers that are open to — and even looking for! — people with advanced training in the humanities. Panelists will discuss existing resources and where to find them, as well as ways that departments, universities, and professional organizations like the AAR can better support scholars in non-academic careers. Amy Defibaugh, Temple University, Presiding Panelists: - Sarah Peterson, ImaginePhD - Emily Swafford, American Historical Association - Karen Kelsky, The Professor Is In - Jenny Whitcher, Juniper Formation This session was recorded on November 18, 2018 in Denver, Colorado, during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion.

This joint panel explores ways in which contingency may be constructive (and the ways contingent faculty work can be made more humane and viable) as part of a larger discussion about non-tenure-track and “alt-ac” paths. Lynne Gerber, Harvard University, Presding Panelists: - Simran Jeet Singh, New York University - Megan Goodwin, Northeastern University - Hussein Rashid, Barnard College - Matthew Bingley, Georgia State University The session was recorded on November 19, 2018 in Denver, Colorado, during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion.

In recent years as the job market for tenure-track academic positions has tightened and the use of contingent faculty has exploded, increasing numbers of graduate degree seekers are intending to pursue nonacademic careers. While some areas of study present obvious nonacademic options, for scholars in the humanities, nonacademic career opportunities and the best preparation for them may not be obvious and religious studies faculty are exploring how graduate programs can — and should — prepare all alumni for multiple employment outcomes. This panel brings together faculty members from a variety of institutions to discuss some of the problems confronting their students and their programs as more people turn — by necessity and by choice — to nonacademic career paths. Cristine Hutchison-Jones, Harvard University, Presiding Panelists: - Paul W. Harvey, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs - Patrick Mason, Claremont Graduate University - Nathan Schneider, University of Colorado - Annette Stott, University of Denver This session was recorded at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion on November 19 in Denver, Colorado.

The panelists in this session showcase the work of current AAR-Luce Religion and International Affairs Fellows. Reflecting on their experiences in a variety of policy-shaping institutions, these four fellows will consider how their scholarly expertise has been applied outside the academy. How does knowledge about religion function outside traditional academic settings? What are the opportunities for religion researchers to engage policymakers and other public institutions? What are the obstacles facing scholars interested in this kind of work? The religion-related issues these fellows cover in public sector or civil society contexts include contemporary tribal and religious politics in Yemen; U.S. international religious freedom policy; peacebuilding in Iraq; socio-cultural aspects of treatment of advanced HIV and neglected tropical diseases; and advocacy in philanthropic settings. Evan Berry, American University, Presiding Panelists: - Asher Orkaby, Harvard University - Sousan Abadian, US Department of State - Ann Wainscott, Miami University - Margaret/Maren Milligan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Sara Kamali, University of Oxford, Responding This session was recorded on November 18, 2018 in Denver, Colorado, during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion

Jenna Reinbold, winner of the 2018 Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion in the category of Analytical-Descriptive Studies, discusses her book "Seeing the Myth in Human Rights" (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016).

Noah Salomon, author of "For Love of the Prophet: An Ethnography of Sudan's Islamic State" (Princeton University Press, 2016) and winner of AAR's 2017 Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion in the category of analytical-descriptive studies, talks to Kristian Petersen about his fieldwork in Sudan, the attempts at a unified Sudan prior to the 2011 partition, and tradition of the Islamic nation-state.

In recent years as the job market for tenure-track academic positions has tightened and the use of contingent faculty has exploded, increasing numbers of graduate degree seekers are intending to pursue nonacademic careers. While some areas of study present obvious nonacademic options, for scholars in the humanities, nonacademic career opportunities and the best preparation for them may not be obvious and religious studies faculty are exploring how graduate programs can - and should - prepare all alumni for multiple employment outcomes. This panel brings together faculty members from a variety of institutions to discuss some of the problems confronting their students and their programs as more people turn - by necessity and by choice - to nonacademic career paths. Cristine Hutchison-Jones, Harvard Law School, Presiding Panelists: - Molly Bassett, Georgia State University - Jason C. Bivins, North Carolina State University - Kathleen Moore, University of California, Santa Barbara This session was recorded at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 19.

This discussion explores the impact of religion and race on American populism across the ideological spectrum. Papers explore the interplay of religious and secular forces on the #BlackLivesMatter movement, including a theological exploration of the death of Michael Brown and an examination of how Millennial activists are blurring secular/religious boundaries. The session juxtaposes these topics with examinations of white conservative populist expressions. Papers explore populist elements within the Southern Baptist Convention that laid the foundation for white evangelicals to throw their support behind Donald Trump and among Tea Party women whose rhetoric centered around a vision of white Christianity fighting the legality of abortion. Robert P. Jones, Public Religion Research Institute, presiding Papers: - "The Reproductive Politics of Evangelical Tea Party Women and the Afterbirth of Trump’s America" Larycia Hawkins, University of Virginia - "Populism in the Southern Baptist Convention" Adam Hankins, DePaul University - "Critical Complexities: Religious-Secularity or Secular-Religiosity, and #BlackLivesMatter" Seth Gaiters, Ohio State University - "Seeing Jesus in Michael Brown: Theological Protest as the Performance of Purity in the Black Lives Matter Movement" Rima Vesely-Flad, Warren Wilson College This session was recorded at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion on November 18, in Boston, Massachusetts.

For many of us who study or work in colleges and seminary campuses today it may be easy to ignore the vulnerable at our institutions. Yet the most vulnerable are often at risk or subject to discrimination and exploitation based on inequities of power, money, lack of social net, or means to voice their concerns about campus life and work. This panel examines what needs attention and the strategies that vulnerable people and their allies can use to decrease vulnerability and increase solidarity. Special attention is paid to the status of, and strategies being deployed by, the LGBT+ community, graduate students, people of color, low paid workers, and non-tenured faculty. Eddie S. Glaude, Princeton University, presiding Panelists and Papers - " 'Although the Doors Were Shut': Cultivating Courageous Community at the Borders of the Academy" Cameron Partridge, Saint Aidan's Episcopal Church, San Francisco - "It Doesn't Always Feel Good: Redefining Notions of Inclusion and Moving beyond 'Diversity' " Prea Persaud, University of Florida - "Solidarity within the Faculty" James Keenan, Boston College - "Ad Junk: Accounting for Different Vulnerabilities in Vulnerable Professional Positions" Hussein Rashid, Islamicate LLC - "Just Employment: Solidarity among Campus Workers" Kerry Danner, Georgetown University This session was recorded at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion on November 18 in Boston, Massachusetts. It was organized by AAR Committees on Academic Labor and Contingent Faculty; Graduate Students; and LGBTIQ Persons in the Profession.