Religion Dispatches: Female Scholars Reflect on Gender in Religious Studies
An article from Religion Dispatches covers a recent interview given by seven female scholars including Nancy Ammerman PhD, professor of sociology of religion at the School of Theology. Women involved in a variety of religious studies reflect on past experiences as well as thoughts about the current gender divide. The scholars, celebrated for their involvement with religious study, talk about women in religion, why they study religion, and what to do about the gender divide in academia.
Professor Ammerman speaks on topics of diversity regarding women and minorities within the classroom and on the syllabus. She talks about the importance of her students learning from varied perspectives: “I am intentional about including women in my syllabi…You have to be intentional about your choice.” She goes on to say that “It helps that the seminary classroom at Boston University, where I teach, is probably the most diverse I’ve ever encountered.”
When asked about the past and present gender divide in religious studies Ammerman notes that “these patterns reflect entrenched stereotypes that are larger than the academy, of course. Today, we see more men focusing on gender, including gender in their analysis, and using methods that have been typically associated with women, such as interviews.”
Read more at Religion Dispatches.