Diversifying the Social Scientific Study of Religion: The Next Seventy Years

St. Louis, Missouri, USA
October 25-27

At a time of unparalleled communication among societies; at a time when religion holds both the power to bring conflict and the power to bring peace; at a time when pluralism and globalization are recasting what it means to study religion; it is the right time to celebrate and champion nuanced diversity in the social scientific study of religion. We need studies that bring together scholars from different social locations and different disciplines in service of a deeper understanding of diversity. We need studies that examine how religion sits alongside, influences, and is influenced by other social locations, identities and institutions:  social institutions where religion is important. We need studies that examine different nation and state contexts. We need studies that compare different religious traditions as well as understand the varieties of non-religion. We need studies that examine diverse publics as well as initiatives, which translate our research to and receive feedback from diverse publics. As we both critically examine the past while charting the vision for the future of the social scientific study of religion, we invite papers and panels that address some aspect of diversity in the social scientific study of religion.

Submissions Open: February 1, 2019
Submissions Close: March 31, 2019
Decision Notification: April 30, 2019

Please direct all inquiries to the SSSR 2019 Program Chairs:

Ryon Cobb, School of Social Work, the University of Texas at Arlington

Justin Tse, Asian American Studies Program, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University