Department of Religion

FSU to offer new bachelor’s degree in human rights

Florida State University will welcome a unique, timely and urgent new major to its curriculum this fall when students can begin pursuing an undergraduate degree in Human Rights and Social Justice.  The new interdisciplinary major will be based in the Department of Religion and draw from more than 50 courses taught across the university, each […]

FSU Religion faculty awarded prestigious Luce Foundation grant to examine race, build health equity 

Two researchers from Florida State University’s Department of Religion have received a $250,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation’s Religion and Theology Program to examine racial justice, Black political activism and religion in the American South and to document, study and challenge structures that drive health disparities in the region. Assistant professors of religion Jamil […]

FSU experts available to comment on 20-year anniversary of 9/11 attacks

Twenty years ago, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks shocked the world. The attacks led to profound changes in American society, two decades of war in Afghanistan and ramifications that continue to be felt today. Florida State University’s nationally regarded experts in emergency management, homeland security, grief, trauma and religion are available to speak to media […]

Expert available to speak on Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions

Pope Francis made international headlines this week when he endorsed same-sex civil unions in an interview for the feature-length documentary “Francesco.” Aline Kalbian, chair of the FSU Department of Religion, can provide an in-depth perspective and context related to the implications of Pope Francis’ comments. Kalbian’s research focuses on how moral traditions develop and change […]

FSU religion doctoral candidate wins fellowship to study abroad in India

Rebecca Peters, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Religion at Florida State University, has won a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship for 2020. Peters will travel to Mumbai, India, in January to research how the culture of Hinduism informs content Bollywood produces, specifically the portrayal of gender roles, for its worldwide audience of […]

FSU expert available to comment on Notre Dame Cathedral fire

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A massive fire scorched the rooftop of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Monday, razing the famous Gothic structure’s spire and threatening to completely destroy its internal wooden frame. A Florida State University expert is available to discuss the cultural, historical and religious significance of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the centuries […]

FSU religion professor receives respected humanities fellowship

A Florida State University faculty member will head to Southeast Asia this fall with the help of a prestigious fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies and the Getty Foundation. Elizabeth Cecil, assistant professor of religion and a trained historian, was one of 10 researchers from across the country to be selected as a […]

Expert Pitch: FSU professor available to comment on Billy Graham legacy

On Wednesday, Feb. 21, Billy Graham died at the age of 99. He was known worldwide for preaching and teaching about Christianity through a variety of mediums, including TV and film. Graham also provided counsel to several U.S. presidents and championed desegregation in the 1960s. As many mourn the loss of Graham and remember the […]