Why Study Religion?
International and Interdisciplinary Scholarship
Religion shapes, and is shaped by, every other dimension of human society. It is impossible to fully understand politics, law, history, or science without understanding religion. We invite you to learn more about the most interdisciplinary field in the university: Religious Studies.
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Featured Story
Religious Studies Returns to AAR This November
The Academy of American Religions is hosting its annual meeting in the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from Saturday, Nov 21, to Tuesday, Nov 24. Northwestern's Religious Studies department will host multiple groundbreaking panel discussions among other top-tier researchers in the field of religious studies. A reception on Sunday will offer current faculty and students, program alumni, and experts to mingle and discuss upcoming trends, findings, and new opportunities.
Featured panels from our department include Religious Thinkers as Co-Theorists: The Future of Critical Theory on Religion and The Cinematic Future of Buddhism: Screenings and Filmmaker Dialogue.
Join the Department of Religious Studies for their reception on Sunday, Nov 22, from 6-8 PM at the Thompson Denver by Hyatt, 1616 Market St. Reserve your spot today.
Find Your Direction
Alumna Adina Goldman had a path that led her from pre-med to English literature and biological anthropology and then to religious studies and music.
News and Events
Faculty in the News
Professor Sarah Jacoby Elected to AAR Board of Directors
Dr. Sarah Jacoby, Department Chair of Religious Studies, has been elected to the 2026 Board of Director as At-Large Director.
Upcoming Events
Dec
4
2026
(NARW) North American Religions Workshop
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Evanston
NARW is an interdisciplinary workshop for Chicago-area students and faculty working in and alongside the field of North American Religi...
Dec
11
2026
Year Seven, Lecture 3: Sara Swenson - "Even in the Darkest Places...
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, No Location
Abstract: “Mô Phật!” a Buddhist nun exclaimed as our taxi veered around oncoming traffic in Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam. The phrase “Mô ...
Jan
15
2027
(NARW) North American Religions Workshop
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Evanston
NARW is an interdisciplinary workshop for Chicago-area students and faculty working in and alongside the field of North American Religi...