Philosophy Lectures Archive
Find recordings from selected Bishop Hurst and other lectures.
Contact Us
Battelle Tompkins, Room 120 on a map
Philosophy / Religion 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8056 United StatesAnnouncements
- Professor and Department Chair Jin Y. Park was elected Vice President of the American Academy of Religion, the world's largest (more than 8,000 members) scholarly society dedicated to the study of religion. She will be President-Elect and then President over the next three years, and is the first scholar of the East Asian traditions to be elected since the founding of AAR in 1909. Professor Park also received the Uberoi Foundation Religious Studies grant in the amount of $25,000 for her project on “Buddhism and Non-violence.
- Professor Onaje Woodbine received a $40,000 First Book Grant for Scholars of Color from the Louisville Institute for his book, Take Back What the Devil Stole: An African American Prophet's Encounters in the Spirit World (Columbia University Press).
Bishop Hurst Lecture
2022 Lecture: Lewis R. Gordon,
“Black Existential Philosophical Analysis of Race and Racism,”
April 6, 6:00 p.m.
Since 1958, the Bishop Hurst Lecture has exposed AU students to some of the most distinguished thinkers who are working on the frontiers of contemporary thought, and who are relevant to many disciplines.
Bishop Hurst Lectures
Durfee Lecture
The annual Durfee Lecture series provides our students and colleagues with the opportunity to meet distinguished thinkers in the world of religion.
Durfee Lectures
McDowell Conference
Each year, American University welcomes a new McDowell Fellow: a visiting professor who uses their unique lens on philosophy to hold a conference that explores a distinct area of social policy.
Meet this year's fellow
Texts & Traditions
Texts and Traditions is an annual event panel of expert colleagues who discuss issues of shared concern across the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.
See the Panels
More announcements
- Hear Professor Jin Y. Park discuss Kim Iryŏp’s life and philosophy on the New Books podcast: Women and Buddhist Philosophy.
- Faculty member Onaje Woodbine wrote “White Hauntings, Black Hoops: The Ghosts of Kyrie Irving” in Religion & Politics.
- Our MA of Philosophy graduate student Julie Williams-Reyes (they/them) was recently recognized as a featured changemaker in AU’s weekly bulletin. Julie has spent their time at American University studying, writing, grassroot organizing, and advocating for populations who need help most.
- As part of Dr. Perry Zurn's "Curiosity, Politics, and the Public Realm" graduate seminar, students pitched episode ideas to Lynn Borton, executive producer of the Choose to be Curious podcast. Now those episodes are being released! Check out Matt Ferguson's “Curiosity & The Digital Transgender Archive with KJ Rawson” and Julie Williams-Reyes' "Imagining Worlds Otherwise: Learning from Black Feminist Curiosity, with Ayanna Spencer." Hear Dr. Zurn discuss his newest work on the New Books podcast: Curiosity and Power.
- Onaje Woodbine hosted the first two workshops in the Sacred Tools of Resistance series on September 30 with Ifa Chief, Awodele Ifayemi who discussed cowrie shell divination and October 14 with Dr. Yang who taught embryonic breathing.
- At virtual Black Lives Matter rally, alumni share thoughts and experiences with racism and activism.
- AU PHIL/REL alum Rory Kraft penned an op-ed in the York Daily Record: The trouble with the 'college is not for everyone' mantra.
- Philosophy student Angelica Vega was a fellow this summer at RespectAbility, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that understands we are a stronger community when we live up to our values: when we are welcoming, diverse, moral and respect one another. Read about her work: Book worm to policy wonk: Disability advocate brings her knowledge to Washington, DC.
