American Examples, Vol 5: New Conversations about Religion

Redefines American religion through bold case studies and fresh theoretical approaches

American Examples: New Conversations about Religion, Volume 5 continues the groundbreaking series from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama. Edited by Rachel E. C. Beckley, Jacob Lassin, Andrew Klumpp, and Michael J. Altman, this volume features seven innovative essays that challenge conventional understandings of religion in America.

From the sacred choreography of HBCU majorette dance to the spiritual significance of Korean American supermarket chain H Mart, and from evangelical summer camps to metaphysical theories of energy and oil, these essays explore “something someone called religion, somewhere someone called America.” Drawing on interdisciplinary methods―Black studies, queer theory, performance studies, and more―this collection reimagines how religion is practiced, embodied, and theorized across diverse American contexts. Volume 5 not only expands the boundaries of American religious history but also highlights the work of emerging scholars pushing the field forward. Accessible and thought provoking, this anthology is essential reading for students and scholars of religion, race, gender, and American culture.
 

Rachel E. C. Beckley is a multiterm lecturer in history and religious studies at the University of Kansas.

Jacob Lassin is assistant professor of regional and cultural studies (Russia) at the Air Force Culture and Language Center.

Andrew Klumpp is editor of the Annals of Iowa, the quarterly scholarly history journal published by the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Michael J. Altman is professor of religious studies at the University of Alabama and the director of American Examples.