The construction of pedagogical spaces: Religious studies in the university

Abstract

In the 1960s "identity" played a significant role in the creation and formation of several university departments, for example, African-American Studies, Women's Studies and Religious Studies. In the 1990s the category of "identity" and the politics surrounding it have proven to be limiting factors in the maintenance and even survival of these same departments. This article analyzes the implications of identity politics for Religious Studies and considers the possibilities for the survival of Religious Studies under the conditions of late capitalism.