Material Culture

This chapter covers various ways religious studies scholars do research on the material ‘things’ associated with and utilized by religions and religious people and communities. In addition to defining material culture, this chapter identifies areas where undergraduate students can enter into the scholarly conversation in meaningful ways. These include the study of pre-modern religious communities through archaeological excavations and of the art, architecture, ritual objects, and other artifacts they have left behind; the study of living religious communities and how they create and use similar types of material objects; and the study of material objects that aren’t associated with official religious communities. Specific examples for both individual undergraduate projects and faculty-driven projects are provided throughout the chapter.