Religion and Sexuality Unit
We invite proposals for individual papers, paper sessions, and roundtable proposals in all areas of the study of religion and sexuality. We are interested in work which engages diverse contexts, geographies, religions and communities. Proposals should reflect sound engagement with existing scholarship along with innovative theoretical and/or methodological proposals around the study of religion and sexuality. We encourage the submission of coherent pre-arranged sessions, which could include roundtables, pedagogic sessions, or other creative presentation formats.
This year we especially encourage individual and paper sessions that address the following topics along with the 2024 Presidential Theme of Freedom.
+ Religion and sexual fear, violence, and intimidation: Considering narratives and practices of resistance, suffering, and justice especially those that are not isolated from other liberation projects; uses of story-telling, coalition building, and trauma studies from a wide variety of geographies and religious traditions.
+ Against/Beyond Marriage: Considering hetero-coupling as a tool, rather than a goal of human thriving; marriage and religious nationalisms; contemporary and creative framings in relation to sexual politics and social justice; theoretical and conceptual innovations when considering these intersections.
+ Sexuality and Citizenship: Considering conservative policing and policy debates, including those concerning trans, intersex, gender non-conforming persons; creative theologies or philosophies of citizenship drawn from a wide variety of geographies and religious traditions.
+ Religion and Sexual Literacy: Considering how knowledge about sex and sexuality is transferred, taught, and framed in religious and educational settings; including work focused on sacred text, ritual, culture(s), social institutions, creative arts, and curriculum.
This Unit examines religion and sexuality, broadly conceptualized, and focuses on questions of why and how sex matters for particular religious persons, communities, or traditions. We welcome collaboration with other Program Units doing work in some area of sexuality. Distinguishing this Unit from other Program Units are an emphasis on empirical research and analysis and an intentionally multidisciplinary and comparative religious focus. We especially encourage interdisciplinary approaches, interest in gender (broadly defined), and strong attention to methodological issues. This unit is committed to diversity and inclusivity; pre-arranged panels should reflect gender and racial/ethnic diversity as well as diversity of field, method, context, and scholarly rank as appropriate.
| Chair | Dates | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sara Moslener | mosle1sj@cmich.edu | - | View |
| Megan Robertson | m.a.robertson@leeds.ac.uk | - | View |