PhD in Divinity - Anthropology and Sociology of Religion in Chicago United States | University of Chicago

The ASR field investigates religious phenomena as social realities and cultural developments, employing diverse methodologies such as fieldwork, archival studies, and textual analysis. As foundational disciplines in social sciences, anthropology and sociology have shaped modern understandings of culture, society, identity, language, knowledge systems, and economic structures through their study of religion. Scholars critically examine what constitutes 'religion', paying close attention to analytical frameworks and power dynamics, starting from everyday contexts that shape institutional formations and competing systems of authority. The ASR program emphasizes rigorous ethnographic fieldwork, advanced language proficiency, and historically contextualized scholarship. Doctoral candidates have explored diverse subjects including transnational religious movements across India, South Korea, and the United States, as well as spiritual tourism and pilgrimage practices in Peru, Brazil, and Iran. Our faculty specialize in modern Islam and Christianity, with regional expertise focusing on the Middle East and East Asia.