This course explores the relationship between coloniality, race and ecology through the lens of “catastrophe.” We will examine a variety of theoretical and literary sources that deploy or refute tropes of the “end of the world.” We will study different uses of “catastrophe” to denounce the destruction of a particular world, re-imagine the past, or proclaim the impossibilities of the present. Through the readings and discussions, we will analyze the aims, effectiveness and limitations of talk of catastrophe in the contemporary context...

This advanced seminar explores the persistent effects of colonialism and its racial hierarchies in our modes of thinking, including concepts that inform the study of religion. The readings for class tell different accounts of the historical imbrications of colonialism, race, and religion and propose a variety of approaches to study their relations. Additionally, students will participate in a colloquium, which will bring to campus scholars currently working on this area.

The body changed theology. How and for what purpose? What does the role of the body reveal about the aims of contemporary theology and its relationship to ethics? This lecture course introduces Christian theology focusing on these questions. We will study theologies written from the Second World War to the present—texts that respond to state violence, economic oppression, and ecological devastation; to wrestle with the significance of race, gender, sexuality, and disability. By turning to the body, these theologies do not merely add an item to the list of themes that theology treats. They...