Beyond the Ivory Tower: Putting Religion Expertise to Work outside the Academy

The panelists in this session showcase the work of current AAR-Luce Religion and International Affairs Fellows. Reflecting on their experiences in a variety of policy-shaping institutions, these four fellows will consider how their scholarly expertise has been applied outside the academy. How does knowledge about religion function outside traditional academic settings? What are the opportunities for religion researchers to engage policymakers and other public institutions? What are the obstacles facing scholars interested in this kind of work? The religion-related issues these fellows cover in public sector or civil society contexts include contemporary tribal and religious politics in Yemen; U.S. international religious freedom policy; peacebuilding in Iraq; socio-cultural aspects of treatment of advanced HIV and neglected tropical diseases; and advocacy in philanthropic settings.

Evan Berry, American University, Presiding

Panelists:
- Asher Orkaby, Harvard University
- Sousan Abadian, US Department of State
- Ann Wainscott, Miami University
- Margaret/Maren Milligan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Sara Kamali, University of Oxford, Responding

This session was recorded on November 18, 2018 in Denver, Colorado, during the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion