About ASSR

The American Society of the Study of Religion is a society of elected members whose purpose is to promote and advance the scholarly study of religion in its various forms. In addition, the ASSR seeks to foster communication among those who are engaged in such study. Occasionally, the ASSR will also lend its voice in support of religion departments across the country whose home institutions may not fully comprehend the value of the study of religion.

The ASSR holds meetings on an annual basis, where members present papers on a particular theme. In order to encourage rigorous and substantive engagement, papers tend to be short and discussions tend to be long. In addition to the stated theme of the meeting, discussions also may focus on the challenges of comparative work, the history of the field, and the role of the disciplines in the interdisciplinary field of religion. Occasionally the conversation will also engage the topic of pedagogy in the study of religion within the contemporary American academy.

The ASSR encourages participation in the work of the International Association for the History of Religion (IAHR), and cooperates with other learned organizations such as the American Council of Learned Societies, whose activities are likely to promote and advance the interdisciplinary study of religion.

The Society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.