Religious Studies Project

Summary

The Department seeks to establish the position of Departmental Scholar who will be a religious studies faculty member overseeing the implementation of student-centered and faculty-centered initiatives. The appointment will be made for one year, with the possibility of renewal for the second year; otherwise a new faculty member will be appointed. The Departmental Scholar program will occur in two phases, with 2007-08 having the Departmental Scholar oversee the Introduction to Religious Studies Review Colloquium, the initial student-centered events, student research and travel grants for summer 2008, the Departmental Seminar in spring 2008, and faculty research grants for spring-summer 2008. The second phase, in addition to the ongoing student-centered initiatives, will move from the curricular Review Colloquium to the faculty colloquium on "Borders and Beyond: International Challenges for Religion," in 2008-09.

Need

Fairfield's Religious Studies Department is a community of scholars, including those with national and international reputations. Academic specializations include Islamic law, Catholic social thought, Buddhist history, Hebrew and Christian scriptures, business ethics, medieval mysticism, feminist theology, modern Jewish theology, American spiritual movements, Christology, and theological method. Among the most active in service to the wider University community - directing the University Honors Program, the Catholic Studies Program, the Bennett Center of Judaic Studies, and the Faculty Chair of the Ignatian Residential College - Religious Studies is a department that functions as an intellectual crossroads for students just entering Fairfield University, as well as for those advanced in the exploration of religious ideas and experience. Following in the Jesuit model of life-long learning, the Department cultivates inquiry in both beginning students and advanced majors, combining the standards of academic rigor with the Jesuit mission of the University. Each undergraduate student at Fairfield takes at least two and often three courses in the Department as part of the core curriculum, with excellent students becoming majors. Most full-time faculty members of the Department teach Introduction to Religious Studies, often the students' first exposure to a critical yet open intellectual engagement with the study of religion. Outstanding seniors have gone on to study at the most prestigious graduate institutions, including Harvard and Yale. With the changing dynamics of American society and a growing consciousness of global interaction on all levels of human life, a critical understanding of religion has become essential to effective action in the world. The changing student body must be cultivated at the introductory level, while advanced students and faculty must be supported in their exploration of the evolving religious dynamics of the globe.

Project Description

To meet introductory students' dynamic needs, the Department seeks resources for a year-long Introduction to Religious Studies Review Colloquium, for a critical review of the introductory course (2007-08). This curricular review will bring the faculty together for input and discussion in a one-day retreat, and twice a semester thereafter in the first year of the program, with a smaller ongoing faculty team investigating specific questions. For more advanced students, greater interaction among students themselves should be facilitated to learn from scholars outside the University, both on site and through travel, and to provide more opportunities to engage with faculty in research. For Fairfield's religious studies faculty, resources are sought  to facilitate dialogue among ourselves and with excellent colleagues in their fields. The Departmental Scholar will oversee a Departmental Seminar, inviting a scholar in the first year to address the seminar and administer new research grants to the faculty. In the second year of the program, the Departmental Scholar will convene the Colloquium, "Borders and Beyond: International Challenges for Religion," involving the Religious Studies Department in an ongoing discussion of issues related to religion and international developments. In all of these student-centered and faculty-centered initiatives, the Departmental Scholar will monitor the process, establish deadlines, and provide intellectual leadership.

As outcomes, the Department anticipates that the introductory course will be improved and better integrated into the overall mission of the University, in accordance with the new University Strategic Plan. Student-faculty and student scholarship will be enhanced dramatically, with Fairfield students gaining greater awareness of the critical study of religion. With this added research support, faculty will be even more productive, enhancing Fairfield's local, national, and international reputation.

Responsible Staff

The proposed project will be directed by Dr. Francis T. Hannafey, S.J., chair of the Religious Studies Department, who will be responsible for determining the Department's consensus on the appointment of the Departmental Scholar, and ensuring that the project momentum and continuity are as smooth as possible.

Budget Statement

The total two-year budget that requires external funding is $50,000. The project has been approved by the College of Arts and Sciences Board of Advisors and the University. This project is one of the College's four priority initiatives for which funding is currently being sought from members of the Board of Advisors.