Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)

#Religion has wide-ranging effects on society, providing motivation/membership for social movements, shaping public discourse & fostering debate. Join us to explore these topics & more at the #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting in Denver.

🗓️ Submissions due March 31.

sssreligion.org/annual-meeti...

Our March issue is here!

With articles on companies sending cremated remains to the moon, death doulas, Iranian wine, Catholic priest influencers, Black churches in decline, Gaza, & more from @mjrubenstein.bsky.social, @eocieslik.bsky.social , @gilbert-achcar.bsky.social & others! therevealer.org

As we continue to highlight our Women's History Month articles, we will also be sharing teaching resources that go along with the article!
These resources can all be found on our website: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/resources/
Check out the FREE articles here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Applications for the 2026-2028 YSAR Cohort are open till April 1!
Hear from two current YSAR members, Aaron Griffith and Josefrayn Sánchez-Perry, on their experience so far.
Learn more about YSAR and apply: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/young-schola...

This week Suad Ahmed takes a nuanced look at the experience of racialized Muslim youth from immigrant families as they negotiate complex identity dynamics in Canadian culture. Join us! #muslimyouth #somalicanadian @uvic-rcs.bsky.social @uviceducation.bsky.social @uvicanthro.bsky.social uvic.ca/csrs/

Whose God Goes to War? - Pittsburgh Review of Books The Military Religious Freedom Foundation recently reported receiving more than a hundred complaints from U.S. service members alleging that some commanders

Something I wrote: pghrev.com/whose-god-go...

Speaker announcement 🥳

We are pleased to announce Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo, as a speaker at the World Humanist Congress 2026.

👉 Secure your place now: hmnts.in/WHC2026-Regi...

Opinion | The ‘God Gap’ in politics is a symptom of a deeper problem The decline of mainline churches has left us more polarized.

New in New York Times Opinion from @ryanburge.bsky.social on the “God Gap” in politics as a symptom of a deeper problem.

wapo.st/3MRV15S

#Religion has wide-ranging effects on society, providing motivation/membership for social movements, shaping public discourse & fostering debate. Join us to explore these topics & more at the #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting in Denver.

🗓️ Submissions due March 31.

sssreligion.org/annual-meeti...

Departures board - Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash.

✈️ Are you an international scholar planning to submit a proposal for the upcoming #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting in Denver? The Society offers grants to help defray costs of attendance.

🗓️ Apply by March 31, 2026 for a Jack Shand International Travel Grant. Details ⬇️

sssreligion.org/awards-grant...

Plane window, clouds.Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash.

🧳🛫 Grad students ➡️ Ready to share your research?
The SSSR is here to support emerging scholars with travel grants to attend the #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting. Submit your application by March 31st (same deadline as the submission of conference abstracts).
#Religion
sssreligion.org/awards-grant...

IRCSF research fellow Miray Philips, with REDWORD for Human Rights and Freedom of Expression, participated in the 18th session of the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues in November 2025. Read and watch all about it here: redword.ca/redword-disc...

YouTube video by Nonreligion in a Complex Future Book Launch: Unearthing Lifestances: What Community Gardens Tell Us About Nonreligion

Missed the recent Unearthing Lifestances book launch?? The recording is now available to watch on YouTube:

youtu.be/Ydj57K317eg

2026 Grants & Awards. SSSR logo

Our 2026 Awards and Grants online submissions are now open. Every year, the SSSR confers different awards and funds numerous grants, both for scholars already working in the field and for students. Explore all the opportunities for SSSR members. ⬇️ #Religion #Research
sssreligion.org/awards-grants/

We’re looking forward to hosting a webinar with Anna Strhan on her new co-authored book "Growing Up Godless: Non-Religious Childhoods in Contemporary England," 2:30pm-3:30pm EST on March 4th. To attend the free virtual event, please register here: uwaterloo.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Rachael Shillitoe and Anna Strhan holding copies of Growing Up Godless

Publication day! So happy that this is finally out in the world. Thanks so much to the team @princetonupress.bsky.social and everyone else who has helped it and us along the way!

Plane window, clouds.Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash.

🧳🛫 Grad students ➡️ Ready to share your research?
The SSSR is here to support emerging scholars with travel grants to attend the #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting. Submit your application by March 31st (same deadline as the submission of conference abstracts).
#Religion
sssreligion.org/awards-grant...

The Politicization of the 21 Libya Martyrs Eleven years have passed since ISIS broadcasted a gruesome video on February 15th, 2015, of the beheading of 20 Copts and a Ghanaian on a beach in Libya. The men, who hail from villages in Upper Egypt...

Check out our Research Fellow Miray Philips' new piece in Public Orthodoxy titled "The Politicization of the 21 Libya Martyrs": publicorthodoxy.org/2026/02/15/t...

For nearly a decade, Reading Religion has served as a scholarly and public resource for reviews of books, films, and review essays in religious studies.

Thank you to the editors, reviewers, authors, publishers, and readers whose care and labor sustained this work.

While applications are open for the 2026-2028 YSAR Cohort, check out some of the things our current members are up to!
From book talks and podcasts to UN forums and grant awards.
Learn more about YSAR & applications: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/you...

Which U.S. religious groups are most highly educated? Hindus and Jews are much more likely to have a four-year college degree than Americans in other religious groups.

Hindus and Jews are much more likely than Americans in other religious groups to have a four-year college degree. 🎓

Discover which U.S. religious groups are most highly educated here:

Cultural Jews and Cultural Catholics? Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Cultural Jews and Cultural Catholics? ; Date: 2026-02-05

Cultural Jews and Cultural Catholics?

The latest #AheadOfTheTrend column looks at data comparing religion as faith tradition versus cultural identity. In this piece, @ryanburge.bsky.social analyzes survey data from @pewresearch.org on cultural Jews and Catholics.

Social science has much to contribute to understanding the dynamic & contested landscape of #Religion #Nonreligion and #Spirtuality in the 21st century. Join us in exploring religion’s shifting place in society at the #SSSR_RRA2026 annual meeting.

➡️ Submit your paper/session/panel proposal today.

Departures board - Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash.

✈️ Are you an international scholar planning to submit a proposal for the upcoming #SSSR_RRA2026 Annual Meeting in Denver? The Society offers grants to help defray costs of attendance.

🗓️ Apply by March 31, 2026 for a Jack Shand International Travel Grant. Details ⬇️

sssreligion.org/awards-grant...

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? On the Handmaid's Tale, glass vs. rubber balls, and singing in the shower

Are women's rights more at risk than we thought? Another great essay from @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/ruthbrau...

Continuing the conversation around Black History Month, check out some different syllabi around Black History! These different syllabi all focus on one of the many aspects of Black history.
Find the resources here: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/resources/

Virtual webinar with Anna Strhan (University of York, UK) on her new book Growing Up Godless: Non-Religious Childhoods in Contemporary England. Organized by @ircsf.bsky.social
March 4th, from 2:30pm-3:30pm EST.
To attend the virtual event, please register on: heyor.ca/a6YVUy

This is a reminder that there is still time to register for the NCF's virtual book launch to celebrate the release of the new book, Unearthing Lifestances: What Community Gardens Tell Us About Nonreligion (De Gruyter, 2026)

February 24
4pm ET

Register here: uottawa-ca.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Stories of Change in American Religion - Center for Religion and Civic Culture USC Dornsife Site

American #religion is changing, and we need more than hot takes and simple graphs. @USCCRCC is launching a multi-pronged effort to get better stories out there. Including journalism fellowships.
dornsife.usc.edu/crcc/stories...

Call for Papers #CfP for the Annual Meeting @sssreligion.bsky.social #SSSR_RRA2026 happening in Denver, from October 30 to November 1.
This year's theme is 'Rethinking Religion for the 21st Century'. Opened sincec Feb 1, 2026.
More info: sssreligion.org/annual-meeti...