Program Unit Annual Meeting 2024

Mormon Studies Unit

Call for Proposals

The Mormon Studies Unit welcomes papers and/or panels on a variety of themes and topics relating to the Mormon tradition, broadly defined. The proposals should analyze the material in terms of the academic study of religion. For the 2024 conference, we propose a few themes:

  • Mormonism and Activism-We seek proposals that explore the history and practices of various social, political and religious activism in Mormon contexts.
  • Mormonism and Sexuality-We seek proposals that examine Mormonism and sexuality from a historical, ethnographic, or sociological lens.
  • Mormonism and Borderlands-In recognition of being near the US/Mexico border for the San Diego conference, we seek proposals and examine Mormonism's role in borderlands, physical and metaphorical.

 

Open Call: Other papers or panels dealing with aspects of Mormonism not mentioned in the previous call will also be considered. Papers may be selected for their relevance to themes which emerge among other submissions.

Panel proposals welcome.

Statement of Purpose

This Unit will examine the range of topics, disciplines, and methodologies that can be brought into dialogue with Mormonism as studied in an academic environment. It is interested in exploring strategies for teaching about Mormonism, both as the main focus of a class or as a unit within a survey course. It seeks to identify the best resources available for teaching and understanding the tradition and provide encouragement for scholars to fill gaps in what is currently available. The Unit encourages significant comparative studies and interdisciplinary cross-fertilization and hopes to explore intersections between Mormonism and ethics, theology, philosophy, ecclesiology, missiology, spirituality, arts and literature, sociology, scripture, and liberation studies.

Chair Mail Dates
Sara Patterson, Hanover College patterson@hanover.edu - View
Jana Riess riess.jana@gmail.com - View
Steering Member Mail Dates
Benjamin Park benjamin.e.park@gmail.com - View
Esiteli Hafoka ehafoka@stanford.edu - View
Max Mueller max.mueller@unl.edu - View
Taylor Petrey tpetrey@kzoo.edu - View
Benjamin Park, Sam Houston State University bep013@SHSU.EDU - View
Review Process: Participant names are visible to chairs but anonymous to steering committee members until after final acceptance/rejection