Department of Gender, Religion, and Critical Studies
The Department of Gender, Religion, and Critical Studies encompasses two diverse areas of study - Women's and Gender Studies, and Religious Studies.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies (RLST) offers courses on a variety of religious traditions, on current issues, and on academic approaches to religious phenomena. The essential goal of these courses is to offer students the opportunity to critically examine the realm of the religious in all of it manifestations and to explore some of the ways people have addressed perennial issues about life and human destiny. Religious Studies courses are not designed to foster personal religious commitment or to evaluate the relative merits of various religious practices, traditions, and points of view. Rather, students of Religious Studies at the University of Regina learn to read and think critically and acquire the skills that facilitate the study and appreciation of diverse cultures.
Women's and Gender Studies
Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) is an interdisciplinary subject area that enables students to focus on the critical study of gender and women's issues. Courses in WGST are designed to promote critical awareness and appreciation of the diverse experiences of women. WGST courses complement course requirements in most disciplines by emphasizing women's roles and contributions to society. Hence students can include in their program a broad range of courses from various disciplines that deal specifically with the study of women and/or gender.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies Student Association
The Department recognizes the Religious Studies Student Association (RSSA) as the official representative of undergraduate student opinion in the Department. The Association elects an executive and chooses the student representative to the Head's selection committee, faculty selection committees, Department meetings, and Faculty of Arts Council meetings.
The Religious Studies Students Association is a group of students interested in creating a fun and interactive environment for study and socialization within the department of Religious Studies.
The RSSA hosts and co-hosts social events for students and faculty. They meet periodically and they also host movie nights and various other events during the academic year. The RSSA assists the faculty in the organization of faculty events (guest lectures, retirement celebrations, etc).
Students who are taking Religious Studies classes are most welcome to participate in the activities of the Religious Studies Students Association.
Lecture Series
As a vibrant and dynamic learning environment, the Department of Religious Studies is proud to present several on-going lecture series, featuring scholars from the University of Regina and federated colleges, as well as guest-lecturers from institutions around the world.
Keep an eye out for our "Religious Studies Ideas Series" (RSIS) which is held on an annual basis. We also host "Everything Religious Studies" which features university professors speaking about current topics in religious studies. These lecture series are open to students, faculty, and members from the community.
Past talks have included Giovanna Parmigiani's Lived Conspirituality: Researching Conspiracy Theory and Alternative Spiritualities and Kyuhoon Cho's Asian Religious Encounters: The Transnational Space Making of A Korean Protestant NGO in New Delhi, India.
Resources and Links
Scholarly Associations
- The Canadian Society for the Study of Religion/la Société canadienne pour l'étude de la religion (CSSR)
- The Canadian Society of Biblical Studies/Société canadienne des Études bibliques (CSBS)
- The American Academy of Religion (AAR)
- The International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR)
- The International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS)