Events2020 Annual MeetingYour AAR staff continues to work toward holding the Annual Meeting in Boston, Nov. 21-24, 2020. We are aware of the uncertainty and contradictory projections related to the COVID-19 pandemic and with health and safety as a priority, we will continue monitoring the guidance of governments and health experts as we plan and make decisions. Should any changes need to be made related to the 2020 Annual Meeting, we will promptly notify you. 2020 Regional MeetingsOpen Registration: All remaining regional meetings for 2020 have been canceled |
AboutMission StatementThe American Academy of Religion's mission is to foster excellence in the academic study of religion and enhance the public understanding of religion. In a world where religion plays so central a role in social, political, and economic events, as well as in the lives of communities and individuals, there is a critical need for ongoing reflection upon and understanding of religious traditions, issues, questions, and values. The AAR seeks to promote such reflection through excellence in scholarship and teaching in the field of religion. As a learned society and professional association of teachers and research scholars, the American Academy of Religion has more than 8,000 members who teach in some 900 colleges, universities, seminaries, and schools in North America and abroad. The Academy is dedicated to furthering knowledge of religion and religious institutions in all their forms and manifestations. This is accomplished through Academy-wide and regional conferences and meetings, publications, programs, and membership services. Within a context of free inquiry and critical examination, the Academy welcomes all disciplined reflection on religion—both from within and outside of communities of belief and practice—and seeks to enhance its broad public understanding. ValuesThe Academy is committed to promoting academic excellence, professional responsibility, free inquiry, critical examination, diversity, inclusion, respect, and transparency within the academic study of religion and in the work of the Academy itself. 
StaffThe AAR has a staff of fifteen. The office is in the Luce Center on the campus of Emory University, 825 Houston Mill Road, NE, Suite 300, Atlanta, Georgia 30329. The main telephone number is 1-404-727-3049, and the fax number is 1-404-727-7959. Leadership GroupsMembers volunteer their time to further the work of the AAR, and to serve their fellow members, by standing for election as officers and members of the Board of Directors; serving on committees and working groups, including task forces and juries; leading Program Units as chairs and steering committee members; and serving in one of the ten AAR Regions as regional coordinators and officers. Thank you to our member volunteers! HistoryIn 1909, Professor Ismar J. Peritz of Syracuse University conceived the idea of forming a new organization for professors and scholars. Its purpose was to stimulate scholarship and teaching in religion. From those early beginnings more than 100 years ago, the American Academy of Religion has grown to be the world's largest association of academics who research or teach topics related to religion, with some 9,000 members in North America and abroad. The AAR neither endorses nor rejects any religious belief or practice. Governance & PoliciesGovernance and policy issues at the American Academy of Religion are described in the sections to the right. For questions not addressed in these sections, please contact the AAR executive office at 404-727-3049, or email us at info@aarweb.org. For individual contact information for staff members, please see the staff pages. Public AffairsThe AAR engages in several initiatives to broaden the public understanding of religion, including promoting teaching about religion in public schools; facilitating access to scholarly expertise on any religion or religious practice for journalists and public officials; and advocating on behalf of its members for government support of research and teaching about religion. PartnershipsAffiliated with a number of organizations and institutions, the AAR welcomes opportunities to cooperate with groups wtih similar missions. Such organizations may apply for formal recognition as Related Scholarly Organizations (RSOs). AdvertisingDo you have a product or message that would appeal to AAR members? Advertising with the AAR is a quick, highly productive way to interact with religious studies professionals. From website ads to mailing label rentals to Annual Meeting exhibit booths, there are many advertising and marketing opportunities available. To get started, see here. If you need further info, don't hesitate to contact Jane Smith at jsmith@aarweb.org.
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