Religious Scholars as Humanitarians: Publications, Pedagogies & Protecting the Most Vulnerable

2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion
November 18
Boston, Massachusetts

This panel debates the ethical obligations that scholars of religion owe to the most vulnerable members of global society, particularly in the wake of the 2016 US presidential election. Through a combination of presentations and workshop activities, it will provide a safe space in which junior and senior scholars can explore how they might develop their academic careers while simultaneously making meaningful contributions to the pursuit of social justice. The featured speakers of this panel work on a diverse range of topics at the nexus of humanitarian and scholarly work, including the advancement of non-human animal rights, the lived experience of Muslim feminists, and the creation of public humanities projects that weave together knowledge about faith, the environment, and social equality for educational purposes.

Chase L. Way, Claremont Graduate University, presiding
Bhakti Mamtora, University of Florida, presiding

Papers and Panelists:
- "Religious Studies and Ethical Curiosity: Class Projects That Reveal Unseen Stories in a Midwest Slaughterhouse Town"
Brianne Donaldson, Rice University

- "The Women’s Mosque of America and Social Justice in American Mosques"
Nayawiyyah Muhammad, Claremont Graduate University

- "Sacred Waters, Contested Histories, and the Public Good in the American South"
A. Whitney Sanford, University of Florida

Respondent:
Greg Johnson, University of Colorado