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