News

News from the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion

News

April 20, 2024

The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching cordially invites you to the 64th Annual Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA), a ceremony and reception to honor five faculty recognized this year for their inspiring and transformational teaching.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Ceremony 5-6:30 p.m. followed by an open reception
West Pauley Ballroom, MLK Student Center

July 1, 2023

Valentina Napolitano joins BCSR as a Visiting Scholar this semester.

Berkeley News is examining threats to American democracy in a new series drawing on the expertise of UC Berkeley scholars. One article from the series, Crisis of faith: Christian nationalism and the threat to U.S. democracy, features several professors involved with BCSR alongside colleagues specializing in law, political science, and sociology.

July 1, 2022

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 Graduate Group in the Study of Religion is thrilled to welcome the latest cohort of the DE in the Study of Religion. The new cohort includes graduate students from Berkeley departments in the humanities. Please join us in welcoming our two new DESR students!

Ethan Katz was educated at Amherst College (B.A., History & French, 2002) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (M.A., History, 2005; PhD, History, 2009). He is currently Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he also is the co-founder and co-director of the Antisemitism Education Initiative.

BCSR was delighted to speak recently with Professor Debarati Sanyal, the new Faculty Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry (CICI), which supports BCSR. She is Professor of French and affiliated with Critical Theory, The Center for Race and Gender, and European Studies.

May 1, 2022

The Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion (BCSR) is pleased to announce a $1,000,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation in support of a 4-year project with the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI).

March 17, 2022

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.

November 1, 2021

July 1, 2021

Applications for the Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion are now accepted on a rolling basis.

Program Description:

The Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion has launched a Graduate Working Group on Religion for 2021–2022, coordinated by Mohamad Jarada (PhD candidate, Anthropology) for graduate students interested in the study of religion, broadly construed.

For 2021-2022, the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion at UC Berkeley is delighted to announce a new Community Outreach Program.

BCSR is proud to share a sample of recent accomplishments, publications, awards, and news from affiliated faculty. Please join us in congratulating our affiliated faculty members Diliana Angelova, Robert Braun, Ethan Katz, Henrike Lange, Robert Sharf, and Ronit Stahl on these accomplishments!

BCSR is proud to announce that Carolyn Chen has joined David Marno as Co-Director of the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion.

BCSR is delighted to announce the recent three-year appointment of Steven Barrie-Anthony, PhD, PsyD, as a Research Associate. In his position, Barrie-Anthony will work with Director David Marno and BCSR affiliated faculty to advance the creative and critical study of religion. 

Dear Friends of BCSR,

The Graduate Group in the Study of Religion is thrilled to welcome the inaugural cohort of the DE in the Study of Religion. The new cohort includes graduate students from Berkeley departments in the social sciences, humanities, and professional schools. Please join us in welcoming our five new DESR students!

May 20, 2021

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.