It is impossible to comprehend fully the growth, textures, and continuities of any particular society or culture without examining the role of religious ideas and institutions in its life. And this is equally true whether one speaks of western culture, of American society, Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa, or Latin America. One of the great strengths of the College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin is the richness of offerings in numerous area studies programs alongside the traditional discipline of the Liberal Arts. The goal of the Religious Studies Program is to develop cross-listings from established departments and programs in order to create the interdisciplinary nerve center of a flagship academic program. At present Religious Studies courses are offered by over 25 regular UT faculty representing more than a dozen different departments or programs.
Some areas are already particularly strong and illustrious.
These include the religions of Asia, offered in conjunction with the Asian Studies Department, and studies in American religious history and diversity, reflecting intersections between History, American Studies, and Sociology. Christian history, within a context of Medieval and early Modern European society, is another well-established research cluster, drawn from English, Romance Languages, History and Art History. What these examples demonstrate is the degree to which the multidisciplinary study of religions can introduce the student to the depth and richness of cultures both ancient and modern, foreign and familiar. The goal is to study religion with appreciation for the richness of each separate tradition, while developing critical insights as to how religions develop, change, and operate within particular social contexts. Studies of language, history, archaeology, and philosophy that provide insights into each particular tradition also raise critical questions, which can then be addressed through the methodology of the social sciences.