Student Research Grants
The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion offers annual research grants to assist graduate students in their research. Although these grants are normally used for dissertation support, other significant research is eligible. The ordinary maximum award is $3,000. Grants are intended to cover research expenses, travel, research assistance, and up to $1,500 in stipend for the researcher's own time. Grant recipients have two years to spend their awards and are expected to submit a brief report on their research. SSSR student research funding is transferred to the principal investigator’s university unless other arrangements are made. Please note that SSSR does not allow for any indirect cost recovery.
Applicants must be SSSR members at the time they submit their proposals and must not have won the award in the previous three years. Applicants should describe the project they wish to undertake in no more than 3 single–spaced pages, discussing its significance for the social scientific study of religion and briefly identifying the literature on which they are drawing. The applications should include an abstract of no more than 100 words and an annotated budget that describes the rationale for proposed expenditures, as well as information about any other sources of support. The application should be accompanied by a brief curriculum vitae (no more than 2 pages) listing the most recent research and publications.
Via the submission form above, candidates should submit PDF files of the abstract, three page proposal, annotated budget, and two page CV. All application packages must be received by May 1, 2024.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Blake Victor Kent, Chair (Westmont College)
Jeffrey Guhin (UCLA)
Andrew Lewis (University of Cincinnati)
Jessica Hamar Martinez, (University of Arizona)
2024 GRANTEES
Andrew Chalfoun (University of California, Los Angeles), "Preaching in the Shadows: International Missionaries in the Age of Covert Evangelism"
Focusing the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention as a case study, this project investigates what I term covert evangelism, a set of practices oriented to the clandestine spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ in countries where public evangelism is restricted by the state or faces strong local opposition. Using interviews and previously unanalyzed archival sources, I demonstrate that, in the past half century, covert evangelism has become the dominant mode in which evangelical missionaries conduct their work. I ask why this transformation occurred and how missionaries navigate high risk conditions associated with operating in the shadows.
Danissa Paz Contreras Guzman (University of Texas at Austin), "Vox Populi, Vox Dei: The Rise of the Religious-Conservative Left and the Reconfiguration of Political Space in Latin America"
Why has the Left adopted Religious Conservatism in some Latin American countries, but not in others? To explain this phenomenon, I focus on both actors’ strategic decisions and political system constraints. I argue that the weakening of economic differences between left-wing and right-wing parties led the Left to prematurely adopt cultural progressivism as a main source of differentiation. This cleavage realignment created a disconnect between the Left and some of their voters, and a subsequent vacuum that new politicians could exploit. Furthermore, I argue that while populism facilitates Religious Conservatism, party constraints and bonds with culturally progressive groups hinder it.
Clara Gaddie (University of Notre Dame), "Connecting with Liminal Identities: How do Virtual Spaces Facilitate Religious Identity Development?"
How do online spaces facilitate religious change? Many people join online spaces as they deconstruct their religious identities. Interaction Ritual Theory emphasizes that people develop identities in physical spaces (Collins, 2004). However, online groups like “This Little Corner” (TLC) connect diverse communities over livestreams and websites, creating spaces where people gather for open discussion. This facilitates opportunities to try new religious practices outside of traditional settings and away from stigma and “triggers” that might have accompanied prior religious exit. I am requesting funding for interviews to investigate how TLC generates identity change and how this spills into offline interactions.
Victoria Isaac (University of Illinois, Chicago) "Religion, Black Culture and the Black American Experience: A Chicagoland Perspective"
This study explores the different ways Black/African Americans in the Chicagoland area navigate their racial identity and experiences within the United States. It particularly explores the extent to which different religious practices - with a focus on gospel music - transcend religious boundaries to be consumed and utilized in these processes. Through the method of semistructured, in-depth interviews, this study particularly seeks to uplift the experiences of Black/African Americans residing in the Chicagoland area, drawing on the historical role of religion and gospel music during the Great Migration to challenge the sacred/secular dichotomy in the sociocultural spaces of Black life.
Kenny Miao (University of Texas at Austin) "Religious Minorities and Authoritarian Regimes: The Case of Chinese Christians" Religious minorities in authoritarian regimes often face government discrimination and persecution. Despite this, the elites within these communities sometimes support the very regimes responsible for their oppression. Specifically focusing on Chinese Christians, this study investigates the reasons behind and the consequences of minority religious elites promoting proregime propaganda, through a mixed method approach. The SSSR grant will enable the execution of an original survey experiment designed to gauge how both religious majority and minority groups perceive minority religious leaders' endorsement of authoritarian propaganda.
Julia Phelps (Arizona State University) "Interpersonal Cooperation and New Islamic Beliefs in the Philippines"
Small-scale subsistence societies are critically reliant on interpersonal cooperation to address daily shortfalls in resources, time, and skill. While kin selection, reciprocity, and cultural institutions such as traditional supernatural beliefs have historically supported this form of cooperation, these communities are increasingly adopting world religions. However, it is unclear how the traditional cultural institutions and cooperative patterns of small-scale societies are impacted by conversion to world religions. To address this gap, this study employs semi-structured and pseudo-hypothetical vignette interviews to investigate the interaction between traditional cooperative institutions and recently introduced Islamic beliefs in a Sama marine foraging community in the Philippines.
Carolina Seigler (Princeton University) "Leveraging Experimental Techniques to Understand Sexual Misconduct in Religious Organizations"
Evidence of sexual misconduct has been notably visible within large religious organizations like the Catholic Church, but observational data highlight patterns of lenience towards perpetrators in other faith settings as well. Many leaders who violate their parishioners are recidivists, serially committing sexual infractions across multiple congregations. What remains unclear, however, is whether pastoral search committees are knowingly hiring leaders with histories of sexual misconduct. My dissertation interrogates this question, exploring how an applicant’s acknowledgement of past misconduct affects opportunities for pastoral employment. Results derived from two experiments reveal counterintuitive hiring preferences and challenge assumptions about how sexual malfeasance is evaluated.
Student Research Grants
The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion offers annual research grants to assist graduate students in their research. Although these grants are normally used for dissertation support, other significant research is eligible. The ordinary maximum award is $3,000. Grants are intended to cover research expenses, travel, research assistance, and up to $1,500 in stipend for the researcher's own time. Grant recipients have two years to spend their awards and are expected to submit a brief report on their research. SSSR student research funding is transferred to the principal investigator’s university unless other arrangements are made. Please note that SSSR does not allow for any indirect cost recovery.
Applicants must be SSSR members at the time they submit their proposals and must not have won the award in the previous three years. Applicants should describe the project they wish to undertake in no more than 3 single–spaced pages, discussing its significance for the social scientific study of religion and briefly identifying the literature on which they are drawing. The applications should include an abstract of no more than 100 words and an annotated budget that describes the rationale for proposed expenditures, as well as information about any other sources of support. The application should be accompanied by a brief curriculum vitae (no more than 2 pages) listing the most recent research and publications.
Via the submission form above, candidates should submit PDF files of the abstract, three page proposal, annotated budget, and two page CV. All application packages must be received by May 1, 2024.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Blake Victor Kent, Chair (Westmont College)
Jeffrey Guhin (UCLA)
Andrew Lewis (University of Cincinnati)
Jessica Hamar Martinez, (University of Arizona)
2024 GRANTEES
Andrew Chalfoun (University of California, Los Angeles), "Preaching in the Shadows: International Missionaries in the Age of Covert Evangelism"
Focusing the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention as a case study, this project investigates what I term covert evangelism, a set of practices oriented to the clandestine spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ in countries where public evangelism is restricted by the state or faces strong local opposition. Using interviews and previously unanalyzed archival sources, I demonstrate that, in the past half century, covert evangelism has become the dominant mode in which evangelical missionaries conduct their work. I ask why this transformation occurred and how missionaries navigate high risk conditions associated with operating in the shadows.
Danissa Paz Contreras Guzman (University of Texas at Austin), "Vox Populi, Vox Dei: The Rise of the Religious-Conservative Left and the Reconfiguration of Political Space in Latin America"
Why has the Left adopted Religious Conservatism in some Latin American countries, but not in others? To explain this phenomenon, I focus on both actors’ strategic decisions and political system constraints. I argue that the weakening of economic differences between left-wing and right-wing parties led the Left to prematurely adopt cultural progressivism as a main source of differentiation. This cleavage realignment created a disconnect between the Left and some of their voters, and a subsequent vacuum that new politicians could exploit. Furthermore, I argue that while populism facilitates Religious Conservatism, party constraints and bonds with culturally progressive groups hinder it.
Clara Gaddie (University of Notre Dame), "Connecting with Liminal Identities: How do Virtual Spaces Facilitate Religious Identity Development?"
How do online spaces facilitate religious change? Many people join online spaces as they deconstruct their religious identities. Interaction Ritual Theory emphasizes that people develop identities in physical spaces (Collins, 2004). However, online groups
like “This Little Corner” (TLC) connect diverse communities over livestreams and websites, creating spaces where people gather for open discussion. This facilitates opportunities to try new religious practices outside of traditional settings and away
from stigma and “triggers” that might have accompanied prior religious exit. I am requesting funding for interviews to investigate how TLC generates identity change and how this spills into offline interactions.
Victoria Isaac (University of Illinois, Chicago) "Religion, Black Culture and the Black American Experience: A Chicagoland Perspective"
This study explores the different ways Black/African Americans in the Chicagoland area navigate their racial identity and experiences within the United States. It particularly explores the extent to which different religious practices - with a focus on gospel music - transcend religious boundaries to be consumed and utilized in these processes. Through the method of semistructured, in-depth interviews, this study particularly seeks to uplift the experiences of Black/African Americans residing in the Chicagoland area, drawing on the historical role of religion and gospel music during the Great Migration to challenge the sacred/secular dichotomy in the sociocultural spaces of Black life.
Kenny Miao (University of Texas at Austin) "Religious Minorities and Authoritarian Regimes: The Case of Chinese Christians"
Religious minorities in authoritarian regimes often face government discrimination and persecution. Despite this, the elites within these communities sometimes support the very regimes responsible for their oppression. Specifically focusing on Chinese Christians, this study investigates the reasons behind and the consequences of minority religious elites promoting proregime propaganda, through a mixed method approach. The SSSR grant will enable the execution of an original survey experiment designed to gauge how both religious majority and minority groups perceive minority religious leaders' endorsement of authoritarian propaganda.
Julia Phelps (Arizona State University) "Interpersonal Cooperation and New Islamic Beliefs in the Philippines"
Small-scale subsistence societies are critically reliant on interpersonal cooperation to address daily shortfalls in resources, time, and skill. While kin selection, reciprocity, and cultural institutions such as traditional supernatural beliefs have historically supported this form of cooperation, these communities are increasingly adopting world religions. However, it is unclear how the traditional cultural institutions and cooperative patterns of small-scale societies are impacted by conversion to world religions. To address this gap, this study employs semi-structured and pseudo-hypothetical vignette interviews to investigate the interaction between traditional cooperative institutions and recently introduced Islamic beliefs in a Sama marine foraging community in the Philippines.
Carolina Seigler (Princeton University) "Leveraging Experimental Techniques to Understand Sexual Misconduct in Religious Organizations"
Evidence of sexual misconduct has been notably visible within large religious organizations like the Catholic Church, but observational data highlight patterns of lenience towards perpetrators in other faith settings as well. Many leaders who violate their parishioners are recidivists, serially committing sexual infractions across multiple congregations. What remains unclear, however, is whether pastoral search committees are knowingly hiring leaders with histories of sexual misconduct. My dissertation interrogates this question, exploring how an applicant’s acknowledgement of past misconduct affects opportunities for pastoral employment. Results derived from two experiments reveal counterintuitive hiring preferences and challenge assumptions about how sexual malfeasance is evaluated.