Religion in Culture Lecture

On Thursday, January 25, 2007, the Department hosted its first Religion in Culture Lecture of the Spring semester. Dr. Josephine Nhongo-Simbanegavi, who received her Ph.D. from Oxford University and who currently teaches in UA's Department of History, presented a lecture entitled, "Mediating Culture and Religion: A Colonial and Post-Colonial African Perspective."

Dr. Nhongo-Simbanegavi's lecture offered an engaging description of African traditional religions, taking into account the manner in which colonial contact shaped our understanding of traditions that predate European and Christian influence.

Religious Studies Professor Maha Marouan introduces Dr. Nhongo-Simbanegavi

Chris Hurt (right), REL major, rock musician, and President of the Religious Studies Student Association, attended the lecture.

In what has become a tradition in the Department, at the conclusion of their talk guests are presented with a framed copy of their flyer. Here, Prof. Steven Ramey, who organizes our lectures, does the honors.

Our thanks to Betty Dickey and to Donna Martin for helping to plan and advertise Department events such as this public lecture.

Thanks to Jennifer "Scoop" Alfano for her photojournalistic skills, and to Karissa Rinas and Sarah Luken for helping out as well.

Dr. Nhongo-Simbanegavi, who chaired one of the panels at our April 2005 conference on the African Diaspora and the Study of Religion, came to the University of Alabama after holding a prestigious Fulbright fellowship at Columbia University, in New York. She is currently working on gender and international migration in Southern Africa.

Gorgas Library's nicely renovated main floor lecture room is home to all REL public events. We will next be there in early March 2007 for the fifth annual Aronov Lecture.

REL majors Zach Price (center), Christopher Crotwell (left), and Kyle Williams (right) were among those in attendance.

Brooks Harvard, REL minor and astute young critical thinker, reports that one of his life's ambitions is to have his picture appear on the Department's main web page. He's a dreamer, that Brooks. But for the time being, this will have to do.

Prof. Tim Murphy (left) speaks with Daniel Cenci, REL graduating major who transferred to the University of Alabama, last year, to complete his degree. Students from Prof. Murphy's REL 480, which examines the impact of European colonialism on the development of our field, also attended the lecture.

The Department widely advertises all of its public events and we're quite pleased when other members of the University and local community attend.

REL majors Justin Nelson (left, one of the many "Justins" who regularly appears in our classes) and Zach Day (center) speculate with Brooks concerning when the next Religion in Culture Lunchtime Discussion will take place (you gotta love those box lunches).

Dr. Nhongo-Simbanegavi remained after the Q&A to respond to a number of queries that members of the audience had about African traditional religions.