| Working towards Ph.D.
in Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, 2006-present |
M.A. in Religious Studies,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006  |
| Thesis: |
"Faithful
Scholarship: The Mainstreaming of Mormon Studies and the Politics
of Insider Discourse" |
| M.A. in English, University
of Utah, 1997 |
| B.A. in English (summa
cum laude), Brigham Young University, 1995 |
| American Religion; Religion and
Culture |
| Mormonism |
| Politics of religious pluralism |
| Politics of religious studies |
| Religion and popular culture |
| Discourse, identity, and power |
(UNC-Chapel
Hill)
| Pro-Seminar in Religious Studies |
| Approaches to the Study of American
Religions |
| Lineages in Religion and Culture:
Religion and the Body |
| Readings in American Religion to
1865 |
| Readings in American Religion since
1865 |
| American Religious Thought: Readings
in American Protestantism |
| Evangelical Traditions in America |
| Mormonism and the American Experience |
| Themes in African American Religious
History |
| Roman Catholicism in America |
| Religion and Politics in the United
States |
| Nineteenth-Century Critiques of
Religion |
| Islam and Modernism |
| Directed Reading: Gender, Sexuality,
and Religion |
| Directed Reading: American Judaism
and Jewish Studies |
| Directed Reading: Religion in American
Law |
|
| Spanish (near-native fluency) |
| French (reading proficiency) |
| German (reading proficiency) |
| University Fellow (William N. Reynolds
Fellow), UNC-Chapel Hill, 2004-present |
| New Voices Award for New Writers, Dialogue:
A Journal of Mormon Thought (for "Can Deconstruction Save the
Day? 'Faithful Scholarship' and the Uses of Postmodernism"),
2008 |
| Lester E. Bush Award for Best Thesis,
Mormon History Association (for "Faithful Scholarship: The Mainstreaming
of Mormon Studies and the Politics of Insider Discourse"), 2007 |
| New Voices Award for New Writers, Dialogue:
A Journal of Mormon Thought (for “Clyde Forsberg’s
Equal Rites and the Exoticizing of Mormonism”), 2006 |
(2004-present)
Courses Taught:
| Religious Innovation in the United States:
Theories and Case Studies |
| First-Year Seminar: Religion, Morality,
and HIV/AIDS (team taught with Ella Nkhoma, Tabb Sullivan, and Jenna
Tiitsman) |
Courses Assisted:
| Mormonism and the American Experience
(Laurie Maffly-Kipp) |
| Introduction to Religion and Culture:
Religious Visual Culture in America (Thomas Tweed) |
| Philosophical Approaches to Religion (Randall
Styers) |
| Introduction to Religion in America (Yaakov
Ariel) |
| African American Religions (Laurie Maffly-Kipp) |
(1998-2004)
Courses Assisted:
| American Religions: Twentieth-Century
Practices (Colleen McDannell) |
Courses Taught:
| Introduction to Writing: Academic Writing |
| Intermediate Writing: Academic Writing
and Research |
| Professional Writing [traditional
classroom and online sections] |
(1998-1999, 2003)
Courses Taught:
A collaboration between graduate students
at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. The project is an interactive
digital timeline of key events in U.S. religious history, to be made
freely available on the Internet as a resource for students and teachers.
A beta version was unveiled during a poster session at the 2007 annual
meeting of the American Academy of Religion. A panel about the A.R.T.
Project was held at the January 2008 meeting of the American Society
of Church History.
Visit the project:
AmericanReligionsTimeline.com
Funding:
Robertson Scholars Program |
| "Reinventing McLellin: A Historiographical
Review." In The William E. McLellin Papers, 1854-1880,
edited by Stan Larson and Samuel J. Passey (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature
Books, 2007), 83-104. |
| “Mormons/Latter-day Saints,”
"Peyote," "Popol Vuh," and "Quetzalcoátl."
In Hispanic American Religious Cultures, edited by Miguel
A. de la Torre (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, forthcoming). |
| "Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons,"
"Mormonism," and "Restoration Church of Jesus Christ."
In Homosexuality and Religion: An Encyclopedia, edited by
Jeffrey S. Siker (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2007). |
| "The Use of 'Lamanite' in Official LDS
Discourse." Journal of Mormon History 34.1 (Winter 2008):
118-167. |
| "Can Deconstruction Save the Day? 'Faithful
Scholarship' and the Uses of Postmodernism." Dialogue: A Journal
of Mormon Thought 41.1 (Spring 2008): 1-33. |
| "Concealing the Body, Concealing the Sacred:
The Decline of Ritual Nudity in Mormon Temples." Journal of Ritual
Studies 21.2 (2007):1-21. |
| "Just How 'Scandalous' Is the Golden Plates
Story? Academic Discourse on the Origin of the Book of Mormon." John
Whitmer Historical Association Journal 26 (2006): 142-165. |
| "Clyde Forsberg's Equal Rites and
the Exoticizing of Mormonism." Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
39.1 (Spring 2006): 4-34. |
| "Correlated
Praise: The Development of the Spanish Hymnal." Co-authored with
Hugo Olaiz. Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 35.2 (Summer
2002): 89-113. |
"Gay-related
Themes in the Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde." Victorian Literature
and Culture 29 (2001):
327-349. |
| "'A Religion by Revelation': Emerson
as Radical Restorationist." American Transcendental Quarterly
14 (2000): 227-250. |
| "'I Would Not Presume to Decide': Gender
and Ambivalence in Howells' Indian Summer." American
Literary Realism 30.1 (Fall 1997): 20-33. |
| "The
New Missionary Discussions and the Future of Correlation." Sunstone,
September 2005, 28-46. |
| "Defending
the Kingdom, Rethinking the Faith: How Apologetics Is Reshaping Mormon
Orthodoxy." Sunstone, May 2004, 22-55. |
| "Problematic Moralist: Neil LaBute and
the Via Negativa." Irreantum: Exploring Mormon Literature
5.4/6.1 (Winter 2003/Spring 2004): 18-20. |
| "The
Making of Immanuel: Brian David Mitchell and the Mormon Fringe."
Sunstone, October 2003, 34-45. |
| "Serpents in Our Midst: What Brigham
City Tells Us about Ourselves." Irreantum: Exploring Mormon
Literature 4.1 (Spring 2002): 14-20. |
| Review of People of Paradox: A History
of Mormon Culture, by Terryl L. Givens. Journal of Mormon
History 34.3 (Summer 2008): 248-254. |
| "Faithful Scholarship Goes to Washington."
Review of The Worlds of Joseph Smith: A Bicentennial Conference
at the Library of Congress, edited by John W. Welch. Sunstone,
March 2007, 62-64. |
| "Prospecting on Cumorah: New Veins for
Book of Mormon Studies." Review of Digging in Cumorah: Reclaiming
Book of Mormon Narratives, by Mark D. Thomas. Sunstone, July
2002, 56-57. |
| "Film and the Global Circulation of Mormon
Missionary Images." In Medias Religiones. Duke University, Durham,
NC. February 2, 2008. |
| "More Than an Appendix: Timelines as a
Non-Narrative Strategy for Representing Religious Diversity." American
Society of Church History, Winter Meeting. Washington, DC. January
5, 2008. |
| "Mormons, Natives, and the Category 'Religion'
in the Colonization of the American West." American Academy of Religion
Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA. November 19, 2007. |
| "Deconstruction Saves the Day: 'Faithful
Scholarship' and the Use of Postmodernism." Mormon History Association
Conference. Salt Lake City, UT. May 25, 2007. |
| "Why Are There So Many Gay Mormon Websites?
Religious Identity as Rhetorical Problem." American Academy of Religion
Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. November 21, 2005. |
| "Concealing the Body, Concealing the Sacred:
The Decline of Ritual Nudity in Mormon Temples." American Academy
of Religion Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. November 19, 2005. |
| "Handling the Golden Plates: Academic
Discourse and the Scandal of the Book of Mormon." John Whitmer Historical
Association Annual Meeting. Springfield, IL. September 30, 2005. |
| "Mark
Noll's God: The Theology and Politics of Evangelical Historiography."
Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion Regional Meeting.
Winston-Salem, NC. March 12, 2005. |
| "Why Are There So Many Gay Mormon Websites?"
North Carolina Religious Studies Association Annual Meeting. Western
Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. October 30, 2004. |
| "Computers and Culture: Reflections from
a Third World Village." Western States Composition Conference. University
of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. October 24, 1998. |
As Respondent
| "Religion and Violence." Papers by Douglas
Montagna and Patrick Q. Mason. American Society of Church History,
Spring Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. April 14, 2007. |
| Panelist, “Author Meets Critics.”
Review of Shaken Faith Syndrome, by Michael R. Ash. Sunstone
Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 9, 2008. |
| "Mapping Book of Mormon Historicity Debates:
Historical and Social Perspectives." Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake
City, UT. August 9, 2008. |
| Panelist, "A New Faithful History That
Is Faithful to History?" Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August
7, 2008. |
| "Where Did We Come From? Where Are We
Going? The Politics of Faithful Scholarship." Faith and Knowledge.
Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT. February 17, 2007. |
| Panelist, "Mormon Cinema at Six: A Progress
Report." Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 12, 2006. |
| "'Faithful
Scholarship' and the Mainstreaming of Mormon Studies." Sunstone
Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 11, 2006. |
| Panelist, "Mormon
Cinema at Five: A Health Report." Sunstone Symposium West. Claremont
Graduate University, Claremont, CA. April 22, 2006. |
| "Prelude
to Claremont: 'Faithful Scholarship' and the Mainstreaming of Mormon
Studies." Sunstone Symposium West. Claremont Graduate University,
Claremont, CA. April 22, 2006. |
| "The New Missionary Discussions and the
Future of Correlation." Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. July
28, 2005. |
| "Progressive
Orthodoxy: A New Chapter in Mormon Assimilation?" Sunstone Symposium.
Salt Lake City, UT. August 14, 2004. |
| Panelist, “Angels
in America Revisited.” Sunstone
Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 13, 2004. |
| Panelist, “Author Meets Critics.”
Review of An Insider’s
View of Mormon Origins, by Grant H. Palmer. Sunstone Symposium.
Salt Lake City, UT. August 15, 2003. |
| Co-presenter, "An Uncomfortable Connection:
Brian David Mitchell and the Mormon Prophetic Tradition." Sunstone
Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 14, 2003. |
"Fellinis
and Almodovars of Our Own: Can Mormon Filmmakers Break into the Canon?"
Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 14, 2003. |
| Co-presenter: "Temple Square Iconography:
A Photographic Tour." Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August
9, 2002. |
| "Serpents in Our Midst: What Brigham
City Tells Us about Ourselves." AML Annual Meeting. Westminster
College, Salt Lake City, UT. March 2, 2002. |
As Respondent
| "Marketing Research and the Book of Mormon."
Paper by Mark Thomas. Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August
11, 2006. |
| "How Much Does It Matter If the Book of
Mormon Is True?" Paper by John Williams. Sunstone Symposium. Salt
Lake City, UT. July 30, 2005. |
| "Civil Disobedience and Latter-day Saints:
Personal Voices." Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August 16,
2003. |
| "Writing out of a Religious Tradition:
Non-Mormon Perspectives." AML Annual Meeting. Utah Valley State College,
Salt Lake City, UT. February 22, 2003. |
| "Is Progressive Political Activism Supported
by Mormon Theology?" Sunstone Symposium. Salt Lake City, UT. August
10, 2002. |
| Quoted on developments in LDS missionizing
in connection with the appointment of the church's one millionth missionary.
"Mission Metamorphosis," Salt Lake Tribune, June
30, 2007. |
| Featured guest to discuss new trends in
LDS missionizing. SunstonePodcast, October 27, 2005. |
| Interviewed for background. "The
Cinema of Latter-Day Saints." New York Times Magazine,
July 31, 2005, 14. |
| Featured guest to discuss developments
in Mormon apologetics. Radio West (KUER). Salt Lake City,
UT. July 6, 2004. |
| Quoted on recent developments in LDS cinema.
"Mormon Cinema's Third Wave." Salt Lake Tribune, August 29,
2003. |
| Interviewed for commentary on Jon Krakauer's
Under the Banner of Heaven. 2News (KUTV). Salt Lake
City, UT. July 2003. |
| Quoted on the history of Mormon missionary
pedagogy. "Teaching Methods Loosened over Years." Salt Lake Tribune,
January 18, 2003. |
| Guest panelist to discuss Olympic media
coverage of Mormonism. Talk of the City (KCPW). Salt Lake
City, UT. February 2002. |
| American Academy of Religion |
| Mormon History Association |
| Graduate student representative, faculty
search committee, Department of Religious Studies, UNC-Chapel Hill,
2008 |
| Member, graduate student orientation planning
committee, Graduate School, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2005 |
| Co-creator, coordinator, and
webmaster, Mormon
Studies Brown Bag Series at the University of Utah, 2001-2004 |
| Officer, Association for Mormon
Letters, 2001-2004 |
Peer Review:
| Pacific Historical Review |
| Intern, Books Editorial, Duke University
Press, Summer 2006 |
| Webmaster, Department
of Religious Studies, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2006 |
| Rapporteur, Duke-UNC Jewish Studies Seminar,
2005-present |
| Administrative assistant, Carolina
Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations,
UNC-Chapel Hill, 2004-present |
| Editorial assistant, Sunstone
(magazine of Mormon scholarship and issues), 2002-present |
Updated Aug. 18, 2008 |
