Research

The Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion invites proposals for graduate student working groups focusing on a specific topic in the study of religion—such as ethnographic approaches to religion, African religion, poetry and religion, and so forth. The purpose of the working groups is to offer graduate students of religion a supportive interdisciplinary community with which to share work, discuss readings, and meet religion scholars.

Registration for the March 19-21 Conference of the American Academy of Religion, Western Region is now available online. The conference, which will be held virtually but is technically hosted by the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, will be of interest to Bay Area scholars working in the area of religious studies.

The Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion (DESR) is pleased to announce our spring 2023 courses that count towards the core and elective requirements for the DE. These courses reflect the interdisciplinary breadth of the DESR, with core and elective options in South & Southeast Asian Studies, Comparative Literature/German, History, Public Health, Buddhist Studies, Jewish Studies, Anthropology, and Social Welfare.

The Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI) will be supporting the growth and development of scholarship and public knowledge on Asian Pacific American religions.

For the Spring 2023 semester, BCSR is offering eight fellowships of $3,750 each for graduate students to explore the relationship between democracy and theology through a focus on religion and health. Led by two BCSR faculty members (Ronit Y.

The American Academy of Religion Western Region (AAR/WR) is the largest and most diverse region of the American Academy of Religion. Its annual conference will be held in person at UC Davis, March 24-26, 2023. This is a wonderful opportunity for all scholars to network and present their research on religion, especially for those in Northern California.

The BCSR invites proposals for graduate student working groups focusing on a specific topic in the study of religion—such as ethnographic approaches to religion, African religion, poetry and religion, and so forth. The purpose of the working groups is to offer graduate students of religion a supportive interdisciplinary community with which to share work, discuss readings, and meet religion scholars.

Dear Friends of BCSR,

This past year brought us back together for lectures, conversations and working groups, and we want to recognize the faculty, students, visitors and audiences whose dedication enriches our intellectual community. The study of religion, at its best, brings together scholars and publics in dialogue, and the work of our colleagues and affiliates with BCSR has made that possible. 

The Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion (DESR) is pleased to announce the fall 2022 courses that count towards the core and elective requirements for the DE. These courses reflect the interdisciplinary breadth of the DESR, with core and elective options in Buddhist Studies, French, Hebrew, History, History of Art, Italian, Rhetoric, and Scandinavian.

BCSR faculty and affiliates are offering a wide variety of undergraduate courses related to religion in spring 2022, spanning the humanities and social sciences.

The Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion (DESR) recently held an Online Open House and Information Session with Mark Csikszentmihalyi (DESR Chair, BCSR Co-founder, East Asian Languages and Cultures) and David Marno (DESR Board Member, BCSR Co-director, English) for a discussion and Q&A about the DE in the Study of Religion.

Applications for the first cohort of the Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion are now open. Please note that applications are due Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 5 pm.

Program Description:

Friday, May 21, 3 pm
Zoom link to join: https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/2087073649

Join DESR faculty for a panel discussion and Q&A about the Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion (DESR). All UC Berkeley PhD students interested in applying to the DE are invited to attend.