The Eastern International Region of the American Academy of Religion serves as a gateway into the academic study of religion for regional participants who reside in Western Pennsylvania, the State of New York (excluding New York City), and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The EIR is a benefit to being a member of the AAR, at no extra fee.
We are happy to announce that our 2024 conference will be held May 2-4 at the University of Toronto! We welcome proposals around the theme Sea Change: Religion, Cosmology, Environment. The full Call for Papers can be found here. The deadline to submit proposals is February 5, 2024.
Welcome from EIR President Abrahim Khan
Greetings from Toronto! I am happy to say that the EIR recently hosted our Regional Conference in May 2023. 13 panels drew approximately 70 attendees from near and far: Ontario, Quebec, Pennsylvania, New York, Colorado, Illinois, and Connecticut. The venue for two days was Queen's University, in Kingston, ON, Canada. A keynote talk by Dr. Megan Goodwin, on “Against Charisma: Cults, Koolaid & the Pornographic Afterlife of Peoples Temple” launched the conference on Friday evening. On Sunday, bringing it to a conclusion was a presidential round-table of nine scholars in conversation about directions for the academic study of religion - wither and why in general, especially at institutions with small departments. It gave lots to reflect about the field/studies.
An aside, on May 29, the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion held a plenary session on "Possible Roles, if Any, of a Scholar of Religion Regarding Promotion of Public Knowledge and Understanding of Religion." Its 10 presenters included scholars from Canada, USA, and Denmark.
Let's hear from you! If you are starting a project or continuing one, hosting workshops, or know about awards, grants, or upcoming publications, we want to hear from you to create and sustain an engaging and creative community of scholars. Use our website feature [“Share News” link] to share your news with us and with our Regional members. Our intention is to help members widen networks and spark conversations with scholars across the Regions. Check out the AAR-EIR Twitter feed as well as our Facebook pages for Members and Students for updates and news throughout the year.
To learn more about the rest of our Board Members, view their profiles on our 'About' page.
Abrahim H. Khan, President of EIR.
Trinity College
The University of Toronto