Jacob Barrett's Avatar

Jacob Barrett

@jakebarrett25.bsky.social

PhD Candidate at UNC-Chapel Hill | Thinking about Religion, Sex, and Governance | Host at New Books Network - Religion | All Taylor Swift opinions are my own https://thereluctantamericanist.com

200 Followers  |  229 Following  |  24 Posts  |  Joined: 20.10.2023  |  2.0069

Latest posts by jakebarrett25.bsky.social on Bluesky

Aw I’m always striving to be interesting and actually useful πŸ₯Ή can’t wait to hear you play something from the new album!!

07.10.2025 00:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
When Intimate Publics Shift: Understanding the Discourse around Taylor Swift’s New Album As those who know me well (or, even those who have been around me for any length of time) know, I’m a Swiftie. And I was excited forΒ The Life of a ShowgirlΒ like everyone else. I stayed up to …

I have a lot of thoughts about Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl but even more about the discourse about the album! Why are people so worked up? Read my thoughts!

When Intimate Publics Shift: Understanding the Discourse around Taylor Swift's New Album thereluctantamericanist.com/2025/10/06/w...

06.10.2025 23:50 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3

Submission deadline extended to October 6! Proposals are just a paper title and 300 word abstract - submit!!

Find the full CFP at relse.org.

01.10.2025 15:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The CFP for the AAR-Southeast 2026 meeting at Furman University in Greenville, SC is due on October 1! Find the CFP atΒ relse.org, and consider submitting to the Religions in America section!

Meeting is March 6-8 - hope to see your proposals!! Reach out with any questions!

20.09.2025 16:29 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Russell T. McCutcheon, "Religion and the Domestication of Dissent: Or, How to Live in a Less Than Perfect Nation" (Routledge, 2025) - New Books Network

Listen here, or anywhere you stream podcasts: newbooksnetwork.com/religion-and...

@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social

28.08.2025 15:43 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

My interview with @mccutcheonsays.bsky.social about the 2nd edition of Religion and the Domestication of Dissent is out! We chat about the book but more importantly we talk about the state of the field (spoiler: bleak) and what to do from the all-too-late place we're in now.

28.08.2025 15:43 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Looking forward to this conversation taking place on Wednesday! It’s beyond time we start rethinking what graduate education in religious studies looks like if we hope to have a future as a field. Tune in, and register here: aarweb.org/event/future...

25.08.2025 13:24 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, "Heaven Has a Wall: Religion, Borders, and the Global United States" (U Chicago Press, 2025) - New Books Network

It was such a pleasure to talk with @bethhurd.bsky.social about her fantastic new book! It’s so important, so relevant, and SUCH a compelling read. Listen to our conversation anywhere you stream podcasts @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social in Religion!

newbooksnetwork.com/heaven-has-a...

23.07.2025 20:34 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Judith Weisenfeld, "Black Religion in the Madhouse: Race and Psychiatry in Slavery’s Wake" ο»Ώο»Ώ(NYU Press, 2025) - New Books Network

It’s been a minute, but I’m back on @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social with @judithweisenfeld.com talking about her wonderful new book. I so enjoyed the conversation, and it’s always an honor to learn from Dr. Weisenfeld. Listen now anywhere you stream podcasts!

newbooksnetwork.com/black-religi...

25.06.2025 23:16 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Post image Post image Post image

In my PhD Candidate era πŸ₯‚πŸ“šβœ¨

06.05.2025 01:19 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We put up with a lot and academia isn’t always fun (especially right now) but the students make it worth it. I’m excited to be back in a classroom next year and get to teach again!

24.04.2025 00:07 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

End of year awards ceremony was a success, and I even took home the department’s teaching award! When they started reading student evaluations in the announcement, I was really hoping for my two favorite ones to make an appearance. Oh Gen Z, how I adore you πŸ«ΆπŸ’–

24.04.2025 00:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m so excited to be part of this cohort! I’m looking forward to starting my new year with this crash course in public scholarship 🫑

31.12.2024 02:01 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

I think Disco loves when new books arrive just as much as I do πŸͺ©πŸ’–πŸ“š

17.12.2024 18:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Several of the contributors are part of a panel on the book tonight at 5 in Conv Center 31-B. Join us if you’re not already home from #sblaar24

www.bloomsbury.com/us/teaching-...

25.11.2024 14:30 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a man with the words impossible perhaps the archives are incomplete below him Alt: Obi-Wan Keno I from Star Wars sits in the digital Jedi archive and says β€œimpossible perhaps the archives are incomplete”

Today at 12:30 PST in HB Aqua 300!

β€œDiagnosing Digital Archives: New Theories & Methods for Studying Religion Online”

How do we deal w the ever-evolving nature of digital religion & its expressions? The papers grapple w how to build, assess & derive new insights from digital archives. #sblaar24

23.11.2024 18:21 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

To my fellow introverts heading out into the wonderfully social #aar #aarsbl24 #sblaar24 conference, remember: we got this!

Most people are kind, willing to hear about your research, and happy to make connections.

23.11.2024 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Oh hey are you in San Diego?

22.11.2024 00:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

The conference starts at baggage claim πŸ˜‰

21.11.2024 21:05 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

On my way to San Diego for AAR! Drop by my presentation on Saturday 12:30pm-2:30pm in the Hilton Bayfront Aqua 300 to hear about digital archives and computational analysis in my version of that vine that goes β€œWHY are you running?!”

21.11.2024 15:57 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Our final roundtable session is this Saturday at 1pm! Join us for a conversation with an amazing group of scholars on interdisciplinary applications of religious studies.

20.11.2024 19:06 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
M. Cooper Minister and Sarah J. Bloesch, "Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion: An Introduction to Theories and Methods" (Bloomsbury, 2023) - New Books Network

New episode is out now! I chatted with M. Cooper Minister and Sarah Bloesch about the second edition of their textbook β€œCultural Approaches to Studying Religion: An Introduction to Theories and Methods”

Listen now πŸ‘‡
newbooksnetwork.com/cultural-app...

18.04.2024 13:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Had a blast talking w/ Leslie Dorrough Smith and Steven Ramey about their amazing new textbook! If you’re teaching World Religions anytime soon, get your hands on this book! It is so importantly different from other WR books!

newbooksnetwork.com/religions-of-t…
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social

01.04.2024 13:44 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

New textbook just published!

More info & order at 25% off quoting code RW here:
bit.ly/3T2qfre

@jakebarrett25.bsky.social @projectrs.bsky.social @mccutcheonsays.bsky.social @julieingersoll.bsky.social

19.02.2024 09:12 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Post image

Excited to see this out! I wrote the first version several years and many political moments ago, but that almost makes the case study even more interesting. Find my article, as well as the whole special issue β€œBelief, Reconsidered” at the Implicit Religion site here: journal.equinoxpub.com/IR/index

24.11.2023 15:09 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Excited to be presenting at NAASR 2023 on Friday alongside these awesome people! See you in San Antonio!

13.11.2023 15:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Podcast | Kathleen Mcphillips and Naomi Goldenberg, "The End of… Subscribe for free. Kathleen Mcphillips and Naomi Goldenberg, "The End of Religion: Feminist Reappraisals of the State" (Routledge, 2020)

Very excited for this conversation to be out! I talked with Naomi Goldenberg about her volume "The End of Religion", unpacked her theory of religion as a vestigial state, and talked about the exciting new directions her theorizing is headed. Listen now!

newbooksnetwork.com/the-end-of-r...

08.11.2023 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Podcast | Jason C. Bivins, "Embattled America: The Rise of… Subscribe for free. Jason C. Bivins, "Embattled America: The Rise of Anti-Politics and America's Obsession with Religion" (Oxford UP, 2022)

My interview with Jason Bivins on his recent book β€œEmbattled America: The Rise of Anti-politics and America’s Obsession with Religion” is out @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social

It was a great conversation about the new framework for understanding politics + religion he is working towards! Listen nowπŸ‘‡

21.10.2023 13:11 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Finally made the move over here! I’m excited to be on a less icky platform and keep doing religious studies on the internet with you all 😎

Thanks @thornthewitch.bsky.social for the code πŸ™

20.10.2023 18:51 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@jakebarrett25 is following 20 prominent accounts