News

Public Lecture (10/24): Katharine Gerbner

Please join us for Associate Professor Katharine Gerbner's public lecture "Constructing Religion and Defining Crime: Obeah, Rebellion, and the Criminalization of Africana Religions" on Friday, October 24th from 1:00-2:30 PM in HSSB 1174.

Capps Lecture (10/20): Catherine Conybeare

Augustine the African: On Writing Revisionist Biography

Catherine Conybeare

Clark Professor in the Humanities, Bryn Mawr College

October 20, 2025

5:00 PM

McCune Conference Room (HSSB 6020)

UC Santa Barbara

Elizabeth Pérez featured in LA Times article

UCSB Religious Studies Professor Elizabeth Pérez is prominently featured in this recent LA Times article, "Inside the History of Lucumí: Afro-Caribbean Spirituality as Survival."

Feature image from the above referenced LA Times article (Elana Marie / For De Los)

$1.5 million grant positions UCSB Religious Studies at the forefront of spirituality research

As religious affiliation declines in the United States, a UC Santa Barbara religious studies professor has been awarded a major grant to explore a pressing question: What are people turning towards?

Dwight Reynolds' Book wins 2025 Mediterranean Seminar Prize for Best Translation

Big Congrats to Professor Dwight Reynolds!
His book Medieval Arab Music and Musicians has just won the 2025 Mediterranean Seminar Prize for Best Translation! 

Remembering Birger A. Pearson (1934–2025)

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague, Birger Albert Pearson. Pearson passed away on April 16th, 2025 at the age of 90.

End of the Year Celebration

Join us for the 2025 End of Year Awards Ceremony!

The Religious Studies Department at UC Santa Barbara warmly invites you to celebrate the achievements of our students, faculty, and community members at our annual End of Year Awards Ceremony.

Date: 28 May 2025
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: McCune Conference Room, HSSB 6020

Come for the awards, stay for the inspiration, and help us close out the academic year with joy and recognition. All are welcome!

Winners of the Religious Studies Sticker Design Contest

Announcing the Winners of Our Religious Studies Sticker Design Contest!

We are thrilled to share the winning entries from our recent sticker design contest! These beautiful designs were unveiled at our end-of-year ceremony—and now we’re excited to share them with our broader community here as well.