Religion in American Life
The study of religion in American life has come a long way since 1994 when Jon Butler wrote of “jack-in-the-box faith” in the study of US history. Across disciplines, the study of the role played by religion in shaping the US in the past and today has flourished.
This conference aims to celebrate the depth and diversity in the present study of the role of religion in American life. It seeks papers from scholars at all academic levels and in any discipline whose work touches on the role of religion, faith, or belief in American life, whether in the past or today. Subjects and themes may include, but are in no way limited to:
- Native American faith and belief
- Religion and faith in American history
- The politics of faith or faith in politics
- Religious literature, its use and influences
- Religion and law
- Religious architecture (or architects)
- Religion and music
- Representations of faith and belief in popular culture
- Faith and medicine
- Faith and social action
The conference seeks to bring together scholars in a cross-disciplinary dialogue about the place of faith and belief in American life. To that end, it is hoped that this will be the first in a series of events on this theme.
Registration for the conference will be free for all speakers, courtesy of generous funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (although attendees will need to cover the cost of accommodation). There are a small number of travel grants available for postgraduates and early career scholars (those within 5 years of their PhD who are not in permanent positions). Please indicate when submitting your proposal whether you will need to apply for a travel grant. Further information will be requested should your paper be accepted.