Sobchak Nation: The Big Lebowski Turns 20 and Explains Twitter
Daniel Anderson We are all Walter now.
On Transitioning Out of the Academy: 7 Questions for Kelly Baker
Kelly J. Baker I don’t really define religion in relation to my work in this, but rather I write about the field of religious studies and the problem of contingent labor that religious studies and other scholars in the humanities face.
Humor is Not Just Entertainment: 7 Questions for David Feltmate
David Feltmate Popular culture scholarship is actually quite difficult, but people seem to think it is easy. It is not enough to just watch TV or listen to music, you really have to dig into the significance of the material and its social importance.
How Group Identities Work: 7 Questions for Michael Altman
Michael J. Altman First, I’d want readers to understand that when “we” talk about “them” over there (whether in India or, say, the Middle East) we are really talking about what it means to be “us.”
Islam and The Americas: 7 Questions for Aisha Khan
Aisha Khan Islam and the Americas shows that Islam, like all other religions, is not simply oppressive, an “opiate” of false consciousness, aggressive, or anti-modern. It is, instead, a multi-textured worldview, a window into history and society.
Meaning to Life: Coltrane
Something spiritual in the shrieking sax?
In Memoriam: Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry, 1926-2017
Jim James’ Musical Blend of the Religious, Spiritual, and Secular
Scott Muir My aim here is not to fix any “real meaning” to James’ output or speculate about his personal identity, but rather to illustrate how he presents an entangled web of meanings that his listeners may appropriate for their own religious/spiritual/secular constructions of the sacred.
The Changing Nature of America’s Irreligious Explained
Richard Flory Despite the rapid increase in the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation, nones remain a relatively small group within the American electorate.
7 Questions for Barbara A. Mann
Barbara A. Mann First, nothing in monotheism prepares anyone to understand anything in Indian spirituality. The base number of monotheism is One, whereas the base number of Indian spirituality is Two. These assumptions lead in very different directions.