Religious Studies departments, like many other departments in the humanities, have been under attack by legislators for their content and methods while simultaneously dealing with declining enrollments and interest from student populations. The impact of the pandemic and the changing shape of the modern university have only exacerbated the demands for thinkers and teachers of religion to reimagine the field, the delivery of content in the classroom, and the role of religious studies departments in the higher education landscape. On this episode, the panelists will explore the ways that creative and boundary-pushing Religious Studies departments have re-imagined themselves in the last 10 years, discuss the benefits and costs of new models in graduate education, and suggest the possible futures for the humanities and Religious Studies in light of the changing and often erratic political context.

Host:

Rachel Wheeler
Professor of Religious Studies
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Panelists:

Molly Bassett
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Georgia State University

Morgan Shipley
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Foglio Endowed Chair in Spirituality
Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies
Michigan State University

Kayla Renee Wheeler
Associate Professor of Gender and Diversity Studies
Xavier Univeristy