Anthropology of Religion Unit
We invite proposals from the full range of ethnographic theories and methods exploring diverse traditions, regions, topics, periods, and standpoints from across the discipline. We are especially interested in sessions with the following themes and qualities:
- Audio-visual Anthropology. We welcome presentations designed to leverage the benefits of the on-line format by prominently incorporating audio and visual components that do not always work well at in-person sessions.
- Developing Shared Projects. Sessions designed to either kick-start shared projects among geographically dispersed researchers, or to help existing groups further develop existing projects (such workshopping papers from past sessions into a special issue or edited volume.)
- Author(s) Meet Critics. Up to three authors engaging with one another’s recent books around common themes and questions, or multiple respondents commenting on a single new work from various perspectives.
This Unit draws together scholars who utilize the methodological tools and theoretical perspectives of anthropology in the study of religion as a social and cultural phenomenon. Given the increasing importance of anthropology and ethnography for the academic study of religion, we serve the academy as an important forum for sustained discussion and critique of anthropological approaches that can connect scholars working on diverse traditions, regions, and eras who otherwise might not have the opportunity to learn from each other. Interested members are encouraged to join our (low volume) list-serv: https://aarlists.org/