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Communities & Identities Concentration

The Department of Religion offers the graduate concentration in Communities & Identities to explore religion and spirituality in modern societies, both local and global, through the lenses of anthropology of religion and history of religions. 

The Communities & Identities curriculum consists of a rotating sequence of courses in both topics and theory and methods within both the History of Religions and Anthropology of Religion. In addition, we have a rotating co-taught selected topics course, Theorizing Communities and Identities, that is offered once every four semesters.

Below is a list of courses that may be offered under each category:

Topics in the History of Religions

  • Critical Issues in Indigenous Religions
  • Critical Issues in the Study of Native American Religions
  • Discovery and Indigenous Peoples
  • Gender, Politics, and Religion
  • Global Hinduism

Theory and Methods in the History of Religions

  • Globalization and Religion
  • Materialities
  • Ritual and Performance
  • Topics in Religion and Space/Place
  • Topics in Spirituality and Community

Topics in the Anthropology of Religion

  • Buddhism, Culture, Modernity
  • Islams and Cultural Diversity
  • Memory, Culture, Religion

Theory and Methods in the Anthropology of Religion

  • Anthropology of Religion
  • Ethnography of Religion
  • Gender and Religion in Theory and Practice.

Core Faculty for the Communities & Identities Concentration