Undergraduate Student Conference on the Study of Religion

The Undergraduate Student Conference hosted jointly by the Department for the Study of Religion (DSR) and Religion Undergraduate Students' Association (RUSA) was a hybrid event, with the option of attending in person at Hart House or online via Zoom.

Students presented on work related to the study of religion during the conference, which was held on Saturday, April 6, 2024 from 9:30am - 5:00pm.

If you have any questions about this esvent, please email Phoebe at religion.undergrad@utoronto.ca.

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Time   Program
MORNING SESSION 9:45am - 10:00am

Welcoming Remarks

  • Professor Sarah Gallant, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Student Advisor
10:00am - 11:00am

Digital Religion

  • Arist Bravo, Double Major in Religion and Computer Science: Meritorious Conservation? The Diamond Sūtra as a Nexus of Environment and Culture

  • Whitney Mambou, Specialist in Psychology: Screening Santería: Moving Beyond the Authority of the Physical Site in the Study of Black Diaspora Religions

  • Annie Metzger-Oke, Double Major in Religion and Art History: #howthegrinchstolechristmas: Tradition, Authenticity, and Claims of Holiday Appropriation on "WitchTok"
11:00am - 11:10am Break
11:10am - 12:30pm

Texts and Contexts

  • Kenneth Wong, Triple Major in Philosophy and Religion, History, and Classical Civilization, Minor in Global Medieval Studies (Boston University): Philosophy of Late Medieval Mysticism

  • Bianca Quilliam, Specialist in Religion: Observing Kenosis in the Poetry of Hadewijch and John Donne

  • Eli Sol, Double Major in Religion and History: Homesick and Seasick: the Depths of Longing in Halevi's "Anxious or secure my heart is Yours"

  • Shamayla Durrin Islam, Double Major in Economics and Statistics, Minor in Mathematics: Ring Compositions in Quran: A Literary Structural Coherence
  12:30pm - 1:45pm Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSION 1:45pm - 2:00pm

Welcome Back

  • Professor Srilata Raman, Professor and Associate Chair, Undergraduate
2:00pm - 3:20pm

Questions of Authenticity, Revival, and Change

  • Jonathan Chin, Specialist in Economics (Focus in Data Analytics): A Question of Authenticity: Luke 22:43-44

  • Tristan Gosselin, Specialist in Religion: Contextualizing The Raven and the First Men within Haida Cultural Religious Revitalization

  • Kaína Mendoza-Price, Double Major in Religion and Latin American Studies: Ontologies of Transness in Afro-Diasporic Spiritual Traditions

  • Aneri Patel, Double Major in Religion and Philosophy: Intersections of Faith and Climate: Pilgrimage Adaptations amidst Sacred Waters' Changing Dynamics
3:20pm - 3:30pm Break
3:30pm - 4:50pm

Mind, Body, and Performance

  • Alex Lee, Specialist in Psychology: The Force Majeure Conception of 'Madness' in Medieval Islam

  • Trent Atkinson, Double Major in Religion and Transnational & Diaspora Studies: When Two Become One: On the Problem of Cleavage of Self, Dementia, and The Taking of Deborah Logan

  • Parsa Babaei Zadeh, Major in Biology, Double Minor in Immunology and Religion: Exploring Gender anad Religion: A Comparative Analysis of Two Don Giovanni Adaptations through the Lens of Performance Studies

  • Annabel Audrey Abbey, Double Major in Religion and Art History: Fat Embodiment and the 'Curse' of Impossibility
4:50pm - 5:00pm

Closing Remarks

  • Professor Sarah Gallant, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Student Advisor
  • Kayla Klanreungsang, RUSA President

With special thanks to the students serving on the Undergraduate Student Conference Committee this year:

  • Kayla Klanreungsang, RUSA President
  • Aneri Patel, RUSA Director of External Affairs
  • Swamini Sagar, RUSA Director of Internal Affairs
  • Bianca Quilliam, RUSA Mental Health Coordinator
  • Katie Jones, 4th Year Religion Major
  • Emma Li, DSR ADE Committee