Case studies that vividly reimagine the meaning and applications of American religious history 

American Examples: New Conversations about Religion, Volume Four, continues the annual anthology series produced by the American Examples workshop at the University of Alabama’s Department of Religious Studies. The goal of American Examples is to examine examples of “something someone called religious, somewhere someone called America” by asking theoretical questions that exceed the boundaries of American religion or American religious history. This volume features seven essays exploring examples ranging from American Muslim headwear to online pickup artists to the connections between Dutch immigrants and Japanese students. This collection offers valuable insights for scholars and students within and beyond the field of American religious history.

Visit americanexamples.ua.edu for more information on upcoming workshop dates and future projects

Redefines American religion through bold case studies and fresh theoretical approaches

American Examples: New Conversations about Religion, Volume 5 continues the groundbreaking series from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Alabama. Edited by Rachel E. C. Beckley, Jacob Lassin, Andrew Klumpp, and Michael J. Altman, this volume features seven innovative essays that challenge conventional understandings of religion in America.

From the sacred choreography of HBCU majorette dance to the spiritual significance of Korean American supermarket chain H Mart, and from evangelical summer camps to metaphysical theories of energy and oil, these essays explore “something someone called religion, somewhere someone called America.” Drawing on interdisciplinary methods—Black studies, queer theory, performance studies, and more—this collection reimagines how religion is practiced, embodied, and theorized across diverse American contexts. Volume 5 not only expands the boundaries of American religious history but also highlights the work of emerging scholars pushing the field forward. Accessible and thought provoking, this anthology is essential reading for students and scholars of religion, race, gender, and American culture.