• Skip to Content
  • Skip to Main Navigation
  • Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

Open Search Menu

The College of Arts & Sciences

Department of Religious Studies

  • Home
  • About
    • Faculty
    • Affiliate Faculty
    • Emeriti Faculty
    • Staff
    • Graduate Students
    • About Bloomington
    • Diversity + Inclusion
  • Undergraduate
    • Religious Studies B.A.
    • Minor
    • Courses
    • Advising
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Scholarships & Awards
    • Student Experience
    • Career Preparation
  • Graduate
    • Religious Studies M.A.
    • Religious Studies Ph.D.
    • Ph.D. Minor
    • Fields of Study
    • Courses
    • Financial Support
    • Awards & Essays
    • Student Experience
    • Career Preparation
    • Job Placement
    • How to Apply
  • Research
    • Research Areas
    • Center for Religion and the Human
    • Resources
    • Selected Publications
  • Alumni & Giving
    • Get Involved
    • Alumni Spotlights
    • Alumni Newsletters
  • News & Events
    • Departmental News
    • Event Calendar
  • Search
  • Contact
  • Student Portal
  • Departmental News
    • News Archive
  • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • News & Events
  • Departmental News
  • News Archive
  • 2022 News
  • 2022-03-31-distinguished-alumni-lecture

Distinguished Alumni Lecture

Thursday, March 31, 2022

The James Ackerman Distinguished Alumni Lecture was held on March 31st at FAR Center for Contemporary Arts. Jason Bivins, Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University, presented a lecture titled “Track Changes: the Fantastical, the Esoteric, and the Electric; or How Indiana Taught Me to Think about Blood, Hell, and Jazz.” Following the lecture, Jason and friends performed a live jazz show.

Jason is a specialist in religion and American culture, focusing particularly on the intersection between religions and politics since 1900. His most recent book is Embattled America: The Rise of Anti-Politics and America’s Obsession with Religion (forthcoming, Oxford University Press, April 2022). While still focused on how Americans think broadly about “religion” as a register of public panic and/or public virtue, his work is now a sustained argument that, for the sake of reassessing democratic fundaments, Americans should stop wrestling over outrageous religion. 

Department of Religious Studies social media channels

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • College of Arts & Sciences
  • Department of Religious Studies

The College of Arts & Sciences

Indiana University

Copyright © 2025 The Trustees of Indiana University

Accessibility | College Scorecard | Open to All | Privacy Notice

The College of Arts & Sciences

  • About
    • Faculty
    • Affiliate Faculty
    • Emeriti Faculty
    • Staff
    • Graduate Students
    • About Bloomington
    • Diversity + Inclusion
  • Undergraduate
    • Religious Studies B.A.
    • Minor
    • Courses
    • Advising
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Scholarships & Awards
    • Student Experience
    • Career Preparation
      • Career Advising
      • Marketable Skills
  • Graduate
    • Religious Studies M.A.
    • Religious Studies Ph.D.
    • Ph.D. Minor
    • Fields of Study
    • Courses
    • Financial Support
    • Awards & Essays
    • Student Experience
    • Career Preparation
    • Job Placement
    • How to Apply
      • FAQs
  • Research
    • Research Areas
    • Center for Religion and the Human
    • Resources
    • Selected Publications
  • Alumni & Giving
    • Get Involved
    • Alumni Spotlights
    • Alumni Newsletters
  • News & Events
    • Departmental News
      • News Archive
    • Event Calendar
  • Contact
  • Student Portal
    • Undergraduate
      • Religious Studies B.A.
      • Minor
    • Graduate
    • Courses