Month: September 2016


Comparing Apples to Apples

There’s an interesting article, from July 2006, making the rounds on social media. Published in the bilingual, peer-reviewed quarterly, Bulletin of Sociological Methodology/Bulletin de Méthodologie Sociologique, it’s entitled: “Editing a Normal Science Journal in Social Science.” It’s abstract reads as follows: Using Thomas Kuhn‘s once well-known notion of normal science (a collective endeavor inasmuch as researchers share the same paradigm), the author, Linton Freeman, argues that work carried out in the sociological sub-field of social networks is more closely aligned […]

Read More from Comparing Apples to Apples

The Devil’s in the Details

My early book was cited near the start of Chris Kavanagh‘s recent online essay, as an example of a work in the study of religion that — despite him agreeing that there is “much that is valid in such critiques” — seems to constitute “academic minutiae” that we should put behind us, so we can just get on with our work. If you’ve not read the piece, you should. Here’s the closing two paragraphs. I’d like to focus on what […]

Read More from The Devil’s in the Details

Have You Met Dr. Ikeuchi?

If you’ve been keeping up with the Department’s blog, then you’ll know that we recently hired Dr. Suma Ikeuchi as a new Assistant Professor. In keeping with tradition, the REL film crew sat down for an interview with her. Check it out to learn more about Dr. Ikeuchi and her research, and if you see her around Manly Hall be sure to give her a warm welcome! An Interview with Dr. Ikeuchi from UA Religious Studies. […]

Read More from Have You Met Dr. Ikeuchi?

Stereotyping Gender: I’m 100% Masculine

By Andie Alexander Andie Alexander earned her B.A. in Religious Studies and History in 2012. She is completing her M.A. in Religious Studies at CU Boulder. Andie also works as the online Curator for the Culture on the Edge blog. Some weeks back, I saw several of my friends posting their results of this Gender Role Test on Facebook. I usually tend to keep scrolling, but after seeing several of these results, I just couldn’t resist what I knew would make […]

Read More from Stereotyping Gender: I’m 100% Masculine

REL 360 Presents: Citizenfour

The second meeting of REL 360–our one credit hour course–will be viewing Citizenfour. This 2014 documentary follows director Laura Poitras during her investigation into the rise of government-run monitoring programs in the U.S. after the September 11th bombings. During her research, she begins to receive emails from a stranger known only as Citizenfour, who leaks classified information concerning illegal wiretapping practices conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA). Poitras and two other investigative journalists fly to Hong Kong to meet with Citizenfour, who soon agrees […]

Read More from REL 360 Presents: Citizenfour