A18–300
Women's Lounge Roundtable — Women of the "Sandwich Generation"

Friday, 4:00 PM–6:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific B*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

Come join us for an informal conversation for and about women who find themselves caring for both the generation above them (their aging parents) and the generation below them (their not-quite-adult children) and who may be attempting to balance these demands with their careers and with self-care.

A19–100      
Beyond Identity Politics

Saturday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Moscone Center West–Room 3004*

Sponsored by the Status of LGBTIQ Persons in the Profession Committee

Laurel C. Schneider, Chicago Theological Seminary, Presiding

How do queer people move beyond identity-based politics, and how can or should we do so? This panel brings together five scholars and activists to offer their perspectives on this theme.

Panelists:
Mari E. Castellanos, United Church of Christ
Amanullah De Sondy, University of Miami
Jasbir Puar, Rutgers University
Sister Mora Lee D'Klined, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Sister T'aint A. Virgin, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

A19–101      
The Mediterranean: Material Cultures and the Study of Religion — Understanding the Past

Saturday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
InterContinental–Intercontinental Ballroom A*

Sponsored by the International Connections Committee

Tim Jensen, University of Southern Denmark, Presiding

This is one of a two-panel session (see A19–200) inviting scholars familiar with the Mediterranean World to analyze the materiality of religion. Focusing either on the implications for understanding the past (Session 1) or for interpreting the present (Session 2), the panelists will examine the uses of material culture, including research that considers art, artifacts, archaeology, or architecture. Among the questions they will consider are the following: 1) What are the diverse functions of artifacts in religious life?; 2) How do artifacts allow the religious to imagine the past and construct collective identity?; 3) How do they orient devotees in space and time?; 4) How do they compete with other artifacts and, thereby, negotiate power as they make meaning?; 5) What do we gain and lose by focusing on artifacts? In other words, what do they illumine and obscure?; 6) To what extent are artifacts mute and in need of texts to give them voice? In that sense, what is the relation between materiality and textuality in religion?; and 7) How do literary texts function as material culture, and how does material culture function as text?

Panelists:
Maria Del Mar Marcos Sanchez, Universidad de Cantabria
Valeria Meirano, University of Turin
Panagiotis Kousoulis, University of the Aegean
Peter Machinist, Harvard University

A19–102      
Delicious Peace: Fair Trade, Religions, and the Academy

Saturday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Marriott Marquis–Willow*

Sponsored by the Sustainability Task Force

Michael Christensen, Drew University, Presiding

As part of the AAR Sustainability Task Force's focus on educating about sustainable food practices, and in recognition that San Francisco is a Fair Trade city, this session focuses on issues related to Fair Trade best practices. The international Fair Trade movement has involved over a million growers and countless consumers with its focus on ethical and environmentally-responsible economics. Religious groups have played an important role, both among the producers and in promoting Fair Trade products. This panel will present and discuss the award-winning film Delicious Peace (Mirembe Kawomera) Grows in a Ugandan Coffee Bean, which chronicles the Peace Kawomera cooperative with over 1,000 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim farmers/members. Panelists will also discuss Fair Trade and religious practice, the Fair Trade university movement, challenges that the Fair Trade movement faces, and the possible connections between the AAR and Fair Trade. This session welcomes discussion on all the ways that the AAR can take a greater role in incorporating environmental sustainability efforts.

Panelists:
Laurel D. Kearns, Drew University
Paul Katzeff, Thanksgiving Coffee Company
David Barnhill, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

A19–103
Scholars and the Public Representations of Islam in the United States: The Park 51 Mosque Controversy and the Peter King Hearings on the Radicalization of American Muslims

Saturday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the Public Understanding of Religion Committee

Michael Kessler, Georgetown University, Presiding

This session focuses on the role of scholars — such as those consulted by reporters and government agencies — in shaping conversations about the public representations of Islam in the United States. Panelists will discuss the issues involved in two major controversies: the proposed Park 51 Mosque near Ground Zero in Manhattan and the recent hearing by Representative Peter King, head of the Committee on Homeland Security, on "The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's Response." Panelists will also discuss their own experiences as scholars in being questioned by the media and government agencies.

Panelists:
John L. Esposito, Georgetown University
Najeeba Syeed-Miller, Claremont School of Theology
Ebrahim E. I. Moosa, Duke University
Jocelyne Cesari, Harvard University

A19–104
An Open Conversation about Departments, Programs, and Institutions

Saturday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
InterContinental–Howard*

Sponsored by the Academic Relations Committee

L. DeAne Lagerquist, Saint Olaf College, Presiding

This session is intended to provide new and continuing department chairs the space to explore the challenges and opportunities of their work, especially in the current context of shrinking funds and under-siege humanities programs. Participants will: 1) Hear from present and former chairs and consult with each other; and 2) Provide feedback on departmental needs and recommendations to the Academic Relations Committee as it contemplates its ongoing service to the discipline. Continental breakfast will be provided.

Panelists:
Edwin David Aponte, New York Theological Seminary
Joseph A. Favazza, Stonehill College
Rosetta E. Ross, Spelman College
David Harrington Watt, Temple University
Steve Young, McHenry County College

A19–140        
Student Lounge Roundtable — Finding a Delicate Balance in Graduate Studies: Transcultural Conversations

Saturday, 10:00 AM–11:00 AM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Timothy Lim Teck Ngern, Regent University, and Leah Payne, Vanderbilt University, Presiding

Can we excel in our graduate studies and still enjoy life? This one-hour forum explores how students balance graduate schoolwork with other life commitments. Let’s love life and people even as we devour monographs, write book reviews, and present papers!

A19–139          
LGBTIQ Mentoring Lunch

Saturday, 11:45 AM–12:45 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 5 and 6*

Sponsored by the Status of LGBTIQ Persons in the Profession Committee

Melissa M. Wilcox, Whitman College, Presiding

All students and junior scholars who identify outside of normative gender histories and/or sexualities are welcome to join us for an informal lunch. No fee or preregistration is required; please bring your own lunch.

Panelists:
Rebecca Alpert, Temple University
Rudy V. Busto, University of California, Santa Barbara
Monica A. Coleman, Claremont School of Theology
Horace Griffin, Pacific School of Religion
W. Scott Haldeman, Chicago Theological Seminary
Jennifer Harvey, Drake University
Mary E. Hunt, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual
Janet R. Jakobsen, Barnard College
Jay E. Johnson, Pacific School of Religion
Mark Jordan, Harvard University
Helene T. Russell, Christian Theological Seminary
Laurel C. Schneider, Chicago Theological Seminary
Claudia Schippert, University of Central Florida
Roger A. Sneed, Furman University
Emilie M. Townes, Yale University
Traci C. West, Drew University
Heather White, New College of Florida

A19–200
The Mediterranean: Material Cultures and the Study of Religion — Interpreting the Present

Saturday, 1:00 PM–3:30 PM
InterContinental–InterContinental Ballroom A*

Sponsored by the International Connections Committee

Manuel A. Vasquez, University of Florida, Presiding

This is one of a two-panel session (see A19–101) inviting scholars familiar with the Mediterranean world to analyze the materiality of religion. Focusing either on the implications for understanding the past (Session 1) or for interpreting the present (Session 2), the panelists will examine the uses of material culture, including research that considers art, artifacts, archaeology, or architecture. Among the questions they will consider are the following: 1) What are the diverse functions of artifacts in religious life?; 2) How do artifacts allow the religious to imagine the past and construct collective identity?; 3) How do they orient devotees in space and time?; 4) How do they compete with other artifacts and, thereby, negotiate power as they make meaning?; 5) What do we gain and lose by focusing on artifacts? In other words, what do they illumine and obscure?; 6) To what extent are artifacts mute and in need of texts to give them voice? In that sense, what is the relation between materiality and textuality in religion?; and 7) How do literary texts function as material culture, and how does material culture function as text?

Panelists:
Yucel Demirer, Kocaeli University
Yael Munk, Open University of Israel
Magdi Guirguis, American University, Cairo
David Morgan, Duke University
Jeanne Halgren Kilde, University of Minnesota

A19–201
Student Town Hall Meeting — Stepping Stones: Finding Your Footing in the Academy

Saturday, 1:00 PM–3:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 15*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Almeda Wright, Pfeiffer University, Presiding

Comprising one-third of the total AAR membership, student members bring innovative scholarship and fresh ideas to the table, but navigating the field as a budding scholar can be a daunting task! Please join the Graduate Student Committee and the AAR Student Director for an informal conversation about our place in the Academy. In addition to open dialogue regarding student issues, we will have members from various Task Forces and Committees speak to us about the work they do on behalf of the students. The Town Hall meeting provides an important opportunity to meet your student representatives, learn about student programming, and voice your concerns and needs as undergraduate and graduate student members of the American Academy of Religion. Come for camaraderie, conversation, and coffee!

Panelists:
Elizabeth Lawson, Temple University
Steven Barrie-Anthony, University of California, Santa Barbara
Elaine Padilla, New York Theological Seminary
Ben Sanders, Iliff School of Theology and University of Denver
Kristy Slominski, University of California, Santa Barbara

A19–202
A Noble Tradition: On the Meaning and Relevance of the History of Religions Lectureship in Its Second Century

Saturday, 1:00 PM–3:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the American Lectures in the History of Religions and the History of Religions Jury

Gustavo Benavides, Villanova University, Ebrahim E. I. Moosa, Duke University, and Louis A. Ruprecht, Georgia State University, Presiding

In this, the third panel discussion organized by the History of Religions Jury of the AAR, we have invited several of our most distinguished colleagues to reflect on their experiences as fellows with the American Council of Learned Societies History of Religions Lecture Series. This series, which dates back to 1893, was traditionally designed to provide a venue for prominent scholars in what was then exclusively known as the History of Religions, to share their work with a wider audience in a year-long series of public speaking events. Contractual support from Columbia University Press ensured that a great many of these remarkable speaking engagements reached even wider audiences subsequently as books of great and lasting value to many subfields. Caroline Walker Bynum's The Resurrection of the Body in Western Christianity, 200–1336 (1995), Wendy Doniger's The Implied Spider: Politics and Theology in Myth (1998), and Bruce B. Lawrence's New Faiths, Old Fears: Muslims and Other Asian Immigrants in American Religious Life (2002) all appeared within this important scholarly imprint. The History of Religions Jury imagines this panel as a prelude to the relaunching of the History of Religions Lectureship in 2012–2013. To that end, this year we have elected these distinguished ACLS Lecturers to share their reflections on the Lecture Series, as well as the books that came of this year-long intellectual journey.

Panelists:
Caroline Walker Bynum, Institute for Advanced Study
Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago
Bruce B. Lawrence, Duke University

A19–300      
How to Get Published

Saturday, 4:00 PM–6:30 PM
Parc55 Wyndham–Mission I*

Sponsored by the Publications Committee

Kimberly Rae Connor, University of San Francisco, Presiding

Based on notions that scholars have an understanding of the books needed in the fields of religion, religious studies, and theology, the AAR publishing program with Oxford University Press (OUP) produces quality scholarship for religious scholars and their students. OUP is an outstanding international publisher and the AAR has published hundreds of titles, many of which have become critical tools in the development of our fields and in training new scholars. AAR/OUP books include five published series: Academy Series; Reflection and Theory in the Study of Religion Series; Religion, Culture, and History Series; Religion in Translation Series; and Teaching Religious Studies Series. The panel provides an opportunity to hear from experienced OUP and AAR editors and to ask any and all questions you might have regarding the AAR/OUP series. Also, the JAAR Editor will discuss essay publishing. You will have opportunities to speak with individual editors. In addition, come meet an author who has journeyed from start to finish in the publishing process and can answer your most pressing questions.

Panelists:
Amir Hussain, Loyola Marymount University
Karen Jackson-Weaver, Princeton University
Jacob Kinnard, Iliff School of Theology
Anne E. Monius, Harvard University
Theodore Vial, Iliff School of Theology
Cynthia Read, Oxford University Press
Michael Murphy, University of San Francisco

A19–301
Women's Lounge Roundtable — Women in Second Careers

Saturday, 4:00 PM–6:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific B*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

An informal discussion session for and about women making the transition from church to academy or vice versa, or making the transition from some other field (including homemaking) into religious studies.

A19–336
Student Lounge Roundtable — "I Can Hold up TWO Books as I Hop on a Ball…But That Is Not All! Oh, No. That Is Not All!": Balancing Family and Work in the Academic World

Saturday, 4:00 PM–5:00 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Beth Stovell, Saint Thomas University, and Jon Stovell, McMaster University, Presiding

Academic life is often a struggle to find a balance between one’s academic and "real world" responsibilities. Beth and Jon Stovall have spent their marriage learning this fine art of balance as they studied together for their Masters and then PhD. Now standing at the conclusion of their studies and commencement of their careers, Beth and Jon will draw on their difficult (and often humorous) experiences.

A19–337
Religion Beyond the Boundaries — American Religious and Spiritual Innovation: Marketing, the Law, and Marriage

Saturday, 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
California Institute for Integral Studies, 1453 Mission Street, Room 307*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Steven Barrie-Anthony, University of California, Santa Barbara, Presiding

The AAR is committed to fostering the public understanding of religion. Inspired by this goal, the Graduate Student Committee has organized two evenings of public talks in San Francisco. Student members will present their cutting-edge research in these innovative evening sessions designed to move our discussions of religion out of the traditional academic setting of the Annual Meeting and into the community. This year’s talks center around two themes: 1) American Religious and Spiritual Innovation: Marketing, the Law, and Marriage; and 2) Intersections of Spirituality, Healing, and Medicine. Plan to join us for these stimulating talks and discussions! All will be held at the California Institute for Integral Studies, 1453 Mission Street, San Francisco.

Donald Westbrook, Claremont Graduate University
"I am a Mormon" and "I am a Scientologist": Recent Marketing Efforts in Mormonism and Scientology
 
Andrew Ventimiglia, University of California, Davis
Circulating Religion, Owning Belief: Intellectual Property in the American Spiritual Marketplace
 
Erika Seamon, Georgetown University
Redefining Religion through the Lens of Interfaith Marriage

A20–100
Religion and Constructions of the Mediterranean

Sunday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 13*

Sponsored by the International Connections Committee

Teresia Mbari Hinga, Santa Clara University, Presiding

Located at the intersection of three continents — Africa, Europe, and Asia — and considered the historical home of three major religions — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism — the "Mediterranean" has long been characterized by immense differences and disputed meanings, religious and otherwise. In addition, it is a center of unsettled global politics where ancient and modern cultures play a fundamental role in defining social reality. This panel interrogates the complex forms, trajectories, processes, ideologies, and power dynamics in — among others — religious, historical, social, cultural, ecological, aesthetic, and literary constructions of the "Mediterranean" as an open, contested, and fluid category. Scholars are invited to examine how the "Mediterranean" has been and can be constructed and interpreted from and through particular identity factors like race, religion, gender, or sexuality. Using different methods and tropes of analysis, panelists will address how the "Mediterranean" is imagined and reimagined in the name of memory, identity, power, and religion in various contexts. They will inquire into what these imaginaries signify; how they have changed; and how — both negatively and positively, as well as both historically and currently — they continue to affect and contribute to the production of different religious and sociopolitical realities.

Panelists:
Marinos Pourgouris, University of Cyprus
Yael Munk, Open University of Israel
Adriana Destro, University of Bologna
Patrice Brodeur, University of Montreal

A20–138
Student Lounge Roundtable — Preparing for Teaching

Sunday, 10:00 AM–11:00 AM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Ryan Cumming, Loyola University Chicago, Presiding

Teaching is a great responsibility; while student-instructors may have the opportunity to improve on a class in future semesters or quarters, our students get one shot to learn what we have to teach them. I will focus on several vital considerations for instructors as they prepare for courses, especially developing substantive syllabi and fair classroom policies, preparing lesson plans, learning technology and grading systems, and balancing teaching responsibilities with research priorities.

A20–137
SWP, REM, and LGBTIQ Women's Mentoring Lunch

Sunday, 11:45 AM–12:45 PM
Marriott Marquis–Golden Gate C2*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee, Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Profession Committee, and the Status of LGBTIQ Persons in the Profession Committee

Judith Plaskow, Manhattan College, Presiding

The annual Women’s Mentoring Lunch provides an opportunity for graduate students and junior faculty members to meet informally with faculty mentors to discuss professional questions and concerns.

Panelists:
Rebecca Alpert, Temple University
Rita Brock, Faith Voices for the Common Good
Melanie L. Harris, Texas Christian University
Susan E. Henking, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Mary E. Hunt, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual
Namsoon Kang, Brite Divinity School
Zayn Kassam, Pomona College
Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Moravian Theological Seminary
Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, Shaw University
Rebecca Todd Peters, Elon University
Nargis Virani, The New School
Traci C. West, Drew University

A20–200
The Marty Forum: Jonathan Sarna

Sunday, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Moscone Center West–3006*

Sponsored by the Public Understanding of Religion Committee

Colleen McDannell, University of Utah, Presiding

The recipient of the 2011 Martin E. Marty Award for contributions to the public understanding of religion is Jonathan Sarna, Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University. Sarna has authored, coauthored, or edited numerous influential books and articles on American Jewish history, including American Judaism: A History (Yale University Press, 2004), A Time to Every Purpose: Letters to a Young Jew (Basic Books, 2008), Jews and the Civil War: A Reader (New York University Press, 2010), The American Jewish Experience (Holmes and Meier, 1986), and The History of the Jewish People: A Story of Tradition and Change — Ancient Israel to 1880s America (Behrman House, 2006). The Marty Forum provides an informal setting in which Sarna will talk about his work with Diane Winston, Knight Chair in Media and Religion at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.

Panelists:
Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University
Diane Winston, University of Southern California

A20–201
Getting Published!

Sunday, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Nob Hill C*

Sponsored by the Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Profession Committee

Melanie L. Harris, Texas Christian University, Presiding

Panelists:
Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University
Jacob K. Olupona, Harvard University
Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, Shaw University
Kwok Pui Lan, Episcopal Divinity School
Gastón Espinosa, Claremont McKenna College

A20–236
Mentoring Matters: Part I

Sunday, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Moscone Center West–Room 3010*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas, Vanderbilt University, Presiding

Graduate students and faculty members will address a range of topics related to mentoring: 1) Mentoring of graduate students and junior faculty; 2) Different types of mentoring, such as institutional and noninstitutional, or formal and informal; 3) Inequalities in mentoring, both in terms of who gets mentored and who carries the burden of mentoring; and 4) Parameters and boundaries of mentoring. Come and raise your questions and concerns.

Panelists:
Kecia Ali, Boston University
Anne Joh, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Elizabeth Lawson, Temple University
Melva L. Sampson, Emory University
M. Shawn Copeland, Boston College

A20–250
Mentoring Matters: Part II

Sunday, 3:00 PM–4:30 PM
Moscone Center West–Room 3010*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas, Vanderbilt University, Presiding

Graduate students and faculty members will address a range of topics related to mentoring: 1) Mentoring of graduate students and junior faculty; 2) Different types of mentoring, such as institutional and noninstitutional, or formal and informal; 3) Inequalities in mentoring, both in terms of who gets mentored and who carries the burden of mentoring; and 4) Parameters and boundaries of mentoring. Come and raise your questions and concerns.

Panelists:
Kecia Ali, Boston University
Anne Joh, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Elizabeth Lawson, Temple University
Melva L. Sampson, Emory University
M. Shawn Copeland, Boston College

A20–251
Conversation with Gary Snyder, 2011 AAR Religion and the Arts Award Winner

Sunday, 3:00 PM–4:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the Religion and the Arts Award Jury

Mary Evelyn Tucker, Yale University, Presiding

Gary Snyder has been named the 2011 Religion and the Arts Award winner. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, essayist, and environmental activist. He has published eighteen books, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. Snyder's work and thinking has been featured in video specials on BBC and PBS, and in every major national print organ. He is the recipient of multiple grants and awards, including the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the Bollingen Prize for Poetry, American Poetry Society Shelley Memorial Award, a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and in 1975 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. A key member of the mid-twentieth century San Francisco Renaissance literary movement, Snyder is currently professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, and lives in Northern California. Born in San Francisco, Snyder has traveled the world, working as a logger, a carpenter, and on a steam-freighter crew, among other things. He has spent ongoing time in Japan, undertaking extensive training in the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. In announcing the 2008 Lilly Poetry Prize, chair of the jury selection Christian Wiman said, "Gary Snyder is in essence a contemporary devotional poet, though he is not devoted to any one god or way of being so much as to Being itself. His poetry is a testament to the sacredness of the natural world and our relation to it, and a prophecy of what we stand to lose if we forget that relation." Snyder and his ongoing work and words open up many conversations across the AAR constituency.

Panelists:
Gary Snyder, Yuba Watershed Council
Christopher Patrick Parr, Webster University
Bron Taylor, University of Florida
Christopher Ives, Stonehill College

A20–252
Fearing the Future: Challenges in Developing Online Programs in Religious Studies

Sunday, 3:00 PM–4:30 PM
InterContinental–Telegraph Hill*

Sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Committee and the Teaching Religion Section

Tina Pippin, Agnes Scott College, Presiding

It is here — online teaching — but many are trying to avoid or argue it out of existence. What happens to "community," when you teach online? What about those great ecstatic intellectual moments in the classroom — will they be gone forever? Won't teaching online destroy the traditional role of a professor? Will I lose my status? Teaching online can't be quality education, can it? Are they going to replace us with adjuncts? Then what...? The academy will be ruined. Presentations and discussion will highlight organizational structure, creative audiovisual aids, testing, discussing, cheating, projects, and more. Presenters will share their creative successes and failures in ways that will be helpful to the audience.

Marla J. Selvidge, University of Central Missouri
The Politics of Religious Studies Online and On Campus
 
Helen Hye-Sook Hwang, University of California, Los Angeles
The Challenges of a Long-distance Adjunct
 
Richard Adams, Emory University
Downloading Pedagogy: Online and Face-to-Face Classes
 
Guy Beck, Tulane University
Words and Music in Online Teaching: A Report from Louisiana after Katrina

A20–285
Student Lounge Roundtable — Tricks of the Trade for Students Seeking Acceptance into PhD Programs

Sunday, 3:00 PM–4:00 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Elaine Padilla, New York Theological Seminary, Presiding

The process of getting into a PhD program can seem shrouded in mystery. Candidates often face seemingly innumerable questions, and venture into the unknown without the tools needed to succeed. In this roundtable we will have an informal discussion over coffee and cookies with selected directors, faculty, and students who are currently a part of several doctoral and/or funding programs to explore the dynamics or "tricks" involved in pursuing the "trade" of applying for a PhD.

Panelists:
Monica A. Coleman, Claremont School of Theology
Dwight N. Hopkins, University of Chicago
Dhawn Martin, Drew University
Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University
Joanne Rodríguez, Hispanic Theological Initiative

A20–300
Women's Lounge Roundtable — Women and Self-care

Sunday, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific B*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

This session will discuss common experiences of mental and psychological health risks that accompany a career as an academic and/or clergyperson; the need to name anxiety, depression, etc. as health issues; and seek support from those who have experienced such issues.

A20–301
Conversation with Katie Geneva Cannon, 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award Winner

Sunday, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM
Moscone Center West–Room 3005*

Sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Committee

Tina Pippin, Agnes Scott College, Presiding

The Teaching and Learning Committee is pleased to announce that Katie Geneva Cannon is the recipient of the 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award winner. Cannon is the Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Ethics at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. She will make remarks and engage questions and answers from the audience.

Panelists:
Katie G. Cannon, Union Presbyterian Seminary

A20–302
Reflections: The Study of Religion in the Decade after 9/11

Sunday, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM
Moscone Center West–Room 2003*

Sponsored by the Journal of the American Academy of Religion

Ebrahim E. I. Moosa, Duke University, Presiding

This panel is sponsored by the Journal of the American Academy of Religion to reflect on the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Panelists will reflect on their personal, academic, political, and transatlantic experiences over the past decade. In addition to the voices of religious studies scholars, the panel will also include the reflections of theologians and artists whose work have been shaped by and is in response to the events of the past decade.

Panelists:
Jack Miles, University of California, Irvine
Mona Siddiqui, University of Glasgow
Kate DeConinck, Harvard University

A20–303
How to Propose a New Program Unit

Sunday, 5:00 PM–6:30 PM
InterContinental–Marina*

Sponsored by the Program Committee

Robert Puckett, American Academy of Religion, Presiding

Join the Director of Meetings for an informal chat about upcoming Annual Meeting initiatives as well as the guidelines and policies for proposing a new Program Unit.

A21–100
Beyond Atheistic and Religious Fundamentalisms: Imagining the Common Good in the Public Sphere

Monday, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the Theological Education Steering Committee

Paul Lim, Vanderbilt University, Presiding

In recent debates about the place of religion and belief in the public square, the loudest voices on both sides of the argument are fundamentalists — of both the atheistic and theistic stripe. Can this conversation move beyond the charges and caricatures of “godless relativists” or “genocidal religionists,” to one where a diversity of belief- and practice-formed communities, religious and otherwise, can contribute to imagining and realizing the common good? This panel will explore this question from discrete locations of practice-shaped communities and communities of religious belief.

Panelists:
Miroslav Volf, Yale University
Roger Jackson, Carleton College
Julia Watts Belser, Missouri State University
Reza Aslan, University of California, Riverside

A21–140
Student Lounge Roundtable — Creating Syllabi Your Students Will (Really!) Use

Monday, 10:00 AM–11:00 AM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Kristy Slominski, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Amy Tiilikainen, Catholic University of America, Presiding

A well-crafted syllabus can save a teacher time, increase student engagement, and decrease frustration for all, but how can you be sure your students will actually use your syllabus? At this roundtable discussion, you will learn how to transform your syllabus into a resource packet that helps students succeed in your course. Participants will view several syllabi and discuss the pros and cons of each design, and are encouraged to bring syllabi of their own to share.

A21–200
Retooling for a New Job Market

Monday, 1:00 PM–3:30 PM
Moscone Center West–Room 3016*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Ben Sanders, Iliff School of Theology and University of Denver, and Kristy Slominski, University of California, Santa Barbara, Presiding

In light of the economy's impact on employment opportunities in religious studies, the Graduate Student Committee is dedicating this year’s session to "Retooling for a New Job Market." This event will consist of two parts. The first will feature a panel of recently hired professors, professors who have been active on search committees, and a representative from the nontraditional (i.e., nonprofessorial) job market. The second part of this event will be a forum in which attendants will have the opportunity to engage in smaller, separate, roundtable conversations with the panelists. Each panelist will lead a conversation aimed at addressing particular issues, such as how to prepare for the on-campus interview, how to creatively present and market yourself, how to determine which type of teaching position is best for you, and how to negotiate once a job is offered. Please join us for what promises to be an important and informative time!

Panelists:
Timothy M. Renick, Georgia State University
Jeremy Posadas, Emory University
Jeffrey Kuan, Drew University
Eleanor J. Moody Shepherd, New York Theological Seminary
Brenda Bailey-Hainer, American Theological Library Association

A21–238
Public Understanding and Education on Religion Roundtable

Monday, 1:00 PM–3:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the Public Understanding of Religion Committee

David Kyuman Kim, Connecticut College, Presiding

At the core of the AAR's mission is a commitment to engage the public on questions of religion, theological education, and civic life. These engagements take the form of education, broadly construed, including higher education but also critical considerations of issues of public policy, religious literacy, public education, civil society, international relations, and other pressing concerns. The AAR also understands that there is not one "public" to which it is responsible and accountable but rather multiple publics: AAR members; faculty and independent scholars; students; the reading public (news, trade publications, blogs); members of religious communities and their leaderships; and other academic disciplines. The AAR seeks to fulfill this mission of public engagement fully understanding that its members work in many spheres well outside of the academy. Just as a professional society we seek to be accountable to multiple publics, the AAR also views public engagement  as "education," meaning teaching publics outside of the academy, including students of all ages, disciplines other than religious studies and theology, the press, policy makers, educators, and so on. Consider just one example: the students that many members of the AAR teach are not graduate students but rather undergraduates who will neither major in religious studies nor go on to graduate studies. This roundtable brings together scholars, public intellectuals, and other thoughtful interlocutors of publics on issues of religion and theological education. The design of the session is a dialogue — in fact, the roundtable will mark the beginning of an ongoing conversation that the AAR has committed to taking up over the coming years as it comes to more fully appreciate its changing identity and constituencies as a learned society.

Panelists:
Craig Calhoun, New York University
John R. Fitzmier, American Academy of Religion
Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, Drew University
Ebrahim E. I. Moosa, Duke University
Krista Tippett, Being, American Public Media

A21–300
Who Speaks for Us?: Responses to Representations of Islam and Christianity in America

Monday, 4:00 PM–6:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Yerba Buena 9*

Sponsored by the Public Understanding of Religion Committee and the Religion, Media, and Culture Group

Sarah M. Pike, California State University, Chico, Presiding

How do American Muslims and American Christians think about the challenges of public representation in journalism and entertainment media? Do Christian and Muslim leaders have different understandings of the place of religion in the public sphere? How do they judge the way their faith is portrayed in news and entertainment media? Are they passive in the face of these portrayals, or do they have deliberate media strategies to shape the way they are portrayed? Researchers raised these and related questions in a series of focus groups in a major Western city that gathered Muslim and Christian leaders, women, activists, social-media entrepreneurs, and young people. In this session they discuss the implications of their findings with practicing journalists.

Panelists:
Stewart M. Hoover, University of Colorado, Boulder
Jeffrey H. Mahan, Iliff School of Theology
Nabil Echchaibi, University of Colorado, Boulder

A21–301
Women's Lounge Roundtable — Women and Difference

Monday, 4:00 PM–6:30 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific B*

Sponsored by the Status of Women in the Profession Committee

Join us for an informal discussion session for sharing experiences of hostility within an academic or religious institution due to racial, religious, sexual, or ethnic difference, including constructive proposals for dealing with such experiences and healing relationships among women along such lines of difference.

A21–336
Student Lounge Roundtable — Teaching Portfolios: From the Classroom to the Job Market

Monday, 4:00 PM–5:00 PM
Marriott Marquis–Pacific C*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Joshua Canzona, Catholic University of America, and Leanna Fuller, Vanderbilt University, Presiding

Developing a teaching portfolio will help you generate materials often requested by potential employers and also prepare you to talk effectively about your teaching in interviews. In this roundtable session we will discuss the following questions: What, exactly, is a teaching portfolio? What should it include? To enrich our conversation, please bring your own questions about teaching portfolios. Resources for getting started with your teaching portfolio will be provided.

A21–337
Religion Beyond the Boundaries — Intersections of Spirituality, Healing, and Medicine

Monday, 6:00 PM–8:00 PM
California Institute for Integral Studies, 1453 Mission Street, Room 207*

Sponsored by the Graduate Student Committee

Steven Barrie-Anthony, University of California, Santa Barbara, Presiding

The AAR is committed to fostering the public understanding of religion. Inspired by this goal, the Graduate Student Committee has organized two evenings of public talks in San Francisco. Student members will present their cutting-edge research in these innovative evening sessions designed to move our discussions of religion out of the traditional academic setting of the Annual Meeting and into the community. This year’s talks center around two themes: 1) American Religious and Spiritual Innovation: Marketing, the Law, and Marriage; and 2) Intersections of Spirituality, Healing, and Medicine. Plan to join us for these stimulating talks and discussions! Will be held at the California Institute for Integral Studies, 1453 Mission Street, San Francisco.

Elizabeth Gordon, Graduate Theological Union
The Public Space of Spirituality: Emerging Health Care Models
 
Kandace S. Geldmeier, Syracuse University
Death and Pregnancy: Religion, Ritual, and the Hospital
 
Connor Wood, Boston University
Social Defeat and Korean Shamanism

*Room locations are subject to change. Please check your Program Book onsite to confirm the location when you arrive at the Annual Meeting.