Religion as 'Weapon of the Weak': Honoring the Life and Legacy of James C. Scott

James C. Scott, described by The New York Times as “Professor Who Learned from Peasants” and the “Unofficial Founder of the Field of Resistance Studies,” died on July 19, 2024. One year after his passing, this roundtable reflects on the life and legacy of one of the most influential political scientists of our lifetime who theorized politics outside the state framework and popularized such terms as "weapons of the weak," "hidden transcripts," "seeing like a state," and "the art of not being governed." Although Scott’s work focused on everyday forms of peasant resistance in Southeast Asia, his ideas have traveled beyond his disciplinary and regional boundaries, profoundly shaping interdisciplinary scholarship across diverse global contexts. Panelists will discuss how Scott's ideas have inspired their research on religion, politics, ecology, decentralized resistance, and freedom within contexts of nationalism, dictatorship, and state control, and will open up for discussions with audience.