Interreligious Studies within the Taxonomy of the Study of Religion

The current landscape of Interreligious Studies (IRS) is prominently shaped by contributions from scholars within fields traditionally represented at the American Academy of Religion (AAR), including Religious Studies (RS), theology, notably, comparative theology. These fields have undoubtedly fostered profound insights and have been instrumental in shaping the field. Increasingly, voices within the academy advocate for IRS to fully embrace its inherent inter- and multidisciplinary potential by incorporating perspectives from the social sciences, history, and beyond. Furthermore, as the adolescent field of IRS grows into maturity in the academy, it continues to learn about itself, identifying its shortcomings, strengths, desires, and vision.

This 10-minute presentation for the interactive workshop aims to catalyze a constructive discussion about the categorization and framework of IRS within the academic landscape, examining its relationship with other critical fields of inquiry such as the study of religion, Religious Studies (RS), theological studies (or Theology), and various area and interdisciplinary studies such as Jewish Studies and Islamic Studies.

After providing a brief overview of prominent scholarly perspectives on the place of IRS in academia, such as those by Kate McCarthy, Eboo Patel, and others, the presentation will initiate a discussion by introducing an innovative thought experiment designed to stimulate reflection and conversation: likening IRS to RS as ecology relates to biology. This analogy will serve as a springboard to explore the roles, relationships, scope, methods, and responsibilities of IRS within a broader academic context. By framing IRS within an ecological model, the aim is to collectively explore IRS's potential for interconnectedness and interdependence with other disciplines to inquire about the collaborative and multidisciplinary approaches to studying interreligious relations.

This proposal is designed to leverage the interactive nature of this workshop to invite the diverse scholarly expertise present at the AAR into a conversation about the context and possibilities of IRS. In other words, the intention is to collectively "workshop" the relationship of IRS to a wider array of academic fields and modes of inquiry, to further understand the diverse terrain of work and expertise of the growing body of diverse scholars in the field. It also aims to identify lacunae or underrepresented areas of scholarship and methods in IRS with an aim to enhance our understanding and engagement with the field's future.

Note: Although this 10-minute presentation proposal is envisioned for the interactive workshop, I could further develop it into a 20-minute paper for a traditional paper session if needed. This expanded work would delve deeper into the proposed analogy and its implications (benefits and shortcomings) for IRS.