Tianna Usher is a senior earning a major in Religious Studies and a minor in Biology. After graduation she plans to enroll at The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities to pursue a Master’s of Nursing. This post was written as part of Prof. Ramey’s REL 322: Tales from Asia course. “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” While the jingle may have given us the upper hand in elementary school playground disputes over trading cards and action figures, matters get a bit more complicated in […]
Category: Student Blog
Posts in this category are written by, or are about, undergraduate students in the Department.
When Religion and Artistic License Clash
Jackson Nock is a senior from Denver, Colorado. He is a double major in International Studies and Religious Studies with a minor in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies.This post was written as part of Prof. Ramey’s REL 322: Tales from Asia course. When we think of art, we think of a world in which creativity and expression know no bounds. However, when certain stories are labeled as “religious” or “sacred” as opposed to “non-religious,” we seem to look at art differently. In […]
Legitimacy of Classification at Standing Rock
Anastasiya Titarenko is a junior majoring in Religious Studies. She has spent the fall semester interning for a non-profit in Wellington, New Zealand. Classification matters. In North Dakota, it arguably permits the violation of one’s First Amendment rights. The First Amendment states that: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to […]
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But First a Word From Our Students…
Madeleine Lewis is a senior studying mathematics and religion at the University of Alabama. They spend their time researching conspiracy theories, making tacos in a tiny kitchen, and inciting resistance in their peers, among other things. We’re asking some current REL students to finish a few sentences for us…. The first REL course I took at UA was: Religion and Literature: Authority, Authorship, and Canon with Dr. Simmons. One of the most curious things I’ve learned so far in one of […]
But First a Word From Our Students….
Keeley McMurray is a junior double majoring in English and Religious Studies. When she isn’t writing papers or contemplating the meaning of life, Keeley loves to travel, listen to Jeff Buckley and make art. We’re asking some current REL students to finish some sentences for us…. The first REL course I took at UA was: Honor’s Intro to Religious Studies with Dr. Rollens. One of the most curious things I’ve learned so far in one of my REL courses is: […]
To God Be The Glory Brake Bands and Clutch
Anastasiya Titarenko is a rising Junior pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies and minoring in Educational Studies. She is currently living in Accra, Ghana, and will be spending the next six months traveling to Ukraine, Italy, and New Zealand. On my first day in Ghana, I passed by In Jesus Name Amen Look Good Shop. I could not hold back a little laugh, because this seemed to be such a strange name for a business. Even more peculiar was that signs […]
The Problem with “Misrepresentation”
Anastasiya Titarenko is a rising Junior pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies and minoring in Educational Studies. She is currently living in Accra, Ghana, and will be spending the next six months traveling to Ukraine, Italy, and New Zealand. “YOU’RE going to AFRICA?!” “Wow, I’ve always wanted to go to Africa and help the poor.” “Where is Ghana?” “Are you going to go on a safari? You better send me pictures.” There are just a few of the responses […]
Narrative Constructs Culture
Micah Davis is a graduate of the University of Alabama who majored in Religious Studies and Philosophy. He is interested in ethics and social theory. The following was written for REL 360: Popular Culture/Public Humanities. REL 360 is the Department’s one-credit hour course that shows four films focusing on religion in pop culture throughout the semester. What do the Jewish Bible, the stories of Jesus, and movies have in common? They are all story-driven. The stories found in these different […]
Imagination, Morality, and the Value Gap
Bethany Scott is a freshman at the University of Alabama with a major in Human Performance Exercise Science, with a focus on Nutrition on a Pre- PA track. She graduated High School in Augusta, Georgia, but as a military kid she was able to travel and live in many different countries. This post was written as part of REL 360: Popular Culture/Public Humanities. Everyone knows that as your age increases imagination decreases, but one question that comes to mind is, […]
10 Things I Learned at the REL Film Studios
Russell McCutcheon wrote a post on this blog recently in which he talked about the history and development of our filmmaking ventures here at REL, and as a student worker heavily involved in producing the films, I felt the need to respond to his post. For about two years now I’ve been planning, directing, filming, and editing our department’s videos, with some help from Andie of course, and the process came with a bit of a learning curve. So now, as I […]