The Devil is in the Details! | Discourse! February 2022 (with video)

The Religious Studies Project

This month’s episode of Discourse! is hosted by Candace Mixon who’s joined by Craig Martin and Suzanne Owen. Their articles all coalesced into thinking through the importance of technicalities and words in the study of religion—when we are used to seeing the big picture, why does it matter to pay attention to things that seem small? Whether legalism comes through within a church community, local or federal judicial and legislative bodies, or nationalistic rhetoric, the stories we review all deal with the small details that make a big difference, and of course considers power and who gets to decide which details count, and why.

Watch the video episode here:

Articles Discussed:

• Dhume, Sadanand (2022). “India’s Hijab Debate Is Both Nuanced and Nasty.” The Wall Street Journal.
• Liptak, Adam (2022). “Supreme Court to Hear Case of Web Designer Who Objects to Same-Sex Marriage.” The New York Times.
• Migdon, Brooke (2022). “Virginia House passes bill to exempt religious organizations from nondiscrimination laws.” The Hill.
• Triesman, Rachel (2022). “An Arizona priest used one wrong word in baptisms for decades. They’re all invalid.” NPR.