Religion and Politics Unit
The Religion and Politics Section welcomes papers, full panel and roundtable proposals on any topic related to the intersections of religion and politics. We are particularly interested in papers related to the presidential theme “Freedom,” current events, international engagements with religion and politics, and the conference location of Boston, MA. We invite proposals exploring the larger historical context of Fundamentalism and far-right extremism in American history with awareness of the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Trial, freedom and Boston as an early center of advocacy for freedom of expression and nonconformity, and new forms of criminalization of religious practices around the world.
- the intersectionality of hip hop, religion, and politics with special consideration of the emerging diversity of political stances being embraced by hip hop artists
- exploration of the ways hip hop can encourage both creative freedom and political freedom. This conversation seems especially fitting given the location of the conference in Boston and other Massachusetts communities that have served as intellectual epicenters for transcendentalism, free thought, and artistic pursuits of all kinds throughout American history. In what ways do the creative impulses of hip hop perpetuate the legacy of free thought through the application of musical artistry to reflections on political and social issues?
- the ways hip hop address the different meanings of “freedom” in the black and white experiences of American history. Can hip hop reframe the American story for minority voices and help us all understand the complexities and ironic costs of “freedom” when some peoples’ ability to enjoy freedom depends on others’ inability to access the benefits of freedom?
- legal constructions of religious freedom and how such constructions draw upon, shape, and/or favor particular formulations of religion;
- current efforts to harness religious freedom for the protection/propagation of progressive causes such as reproductive rights, immigration protections, etc.;
- comparative legal, political, and/or cultural discourses of religious freedom.
This Unit provides a forum for scholars and professionals interested in the relationships among religion, the state, and political life, both in the United States and around the world. Our members focus on the interaction between religious and political values, movements, and commitments, and the role of religious individuals and communities in bodies politic. This focus includes attention to the ways in which religion and religious actors participate in public discourse, contribute to debates over public values and social policy, and affect — and are affected by — activity in the political sphere. We welcome members doing both normative and descriptive work from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, including religious studies, political science, philosophy, social ethics, law (including church–state studies), history (as it relates to contemporary understandings), and theology. We seek to advance scholarly inquiry on religion and politics and we seek also to speak to broad and diverse publics about areas falling under the Unit’s purview.
| Chair | Dates | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Duncan | ann.duncan@goucher.edu | - | View |
| Scott Culpepper, Dordt University | scott.culpepper@dordt.edu | - | View |