CV
Michael J. Altman
mjaltma@emory.edu michaeljaltman.net
Education
Emory University
Ph.D., Religion
Expected May 2012
Dissertation: Hinduism and the Boundaries of Nineteenth Century American Culture
Duke University
M.A., Religion
2008
Thesis: Travel, Mapping, and Contact: Hinduism in 19th Century American Magazines
College of Charleston
B.A. Religious Studies and English
2006
Fellowships and Awards
2010 Albert Clark Award, Best Graduate Student Essay
Theta Alpha Kappa
National Honor Society for Religious Studies/Theology
“’The Manners and Customs of Nations’: India in American Schoolbooks, 1830-1860”
Piedmont TATTO Fellowship in Sustainability, Teaching, and Curriculum
Emory University
Summer 2009
Publications
“Religion and Education” in Gary Laderman and Luis León, eds. Religion and American Cultures: An Encyclopedia of Traditions, Diversity, and Popular Expressions. 4 vols. 2nd ed. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, Forthcoming 2012.
“‘The Manners and Customs of Nations’: India in American Schoolbooks, 1830-1860.” Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa 35, no. 1 (Spring 2011): 1-21.
Conferences
Paper Presentations
“Sightings and Blind Spots: The “Protestant Lens” and the Construction of Hinduism” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion
November 2011
“American Hinduism: A Global Religion in the 19th Century”
American Studies Association Annual Meeting
October 2011
“Methodists and India: Mapping, Contact, and Travel in the Christian Advocate, 1860-1890”
American Society of Church History/American Historical Association
January 2011
“The Manners and Customs of Nations:” India in American Schoolbooks,1830-1860″ Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion
October 2010
“Enchantment, Knowledge, and Literature: Indian Religion in Harper’s New Monthly, 1850-1890”
Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion
March 2009
“Contact, Travel, and Mapping: Popular Representations of Hindus in Nineteenth Century American Magazines”
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion
November 2008
“Reason, Conflict and Christian Science: the Laurie Walker Case”
7th Annual Graduate Student Symposium, Florida State University
March 2008
“Towards an Interdisciplinary Theory of Diaspora”
Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion
March 2008
“Imagined Contact: Representations of Hindus in the 19th Century American Print”
Cultures in Contact: 4th Annual Graduate History Symposium, University of Toronto
February 2008
“The Newest Branch on the Tree: Tracing the Genealogy of the American Religions Timeline”
American Society of Church History/American Historical Association
January 2008
“Christian Exodus: Christianity, Constitution, and Marketing”
Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion
March 2006
Roundtables
“Multi-Faith Religious Liberalism”
Roundtable of the Unitarian Universalist Friends and Scholars,
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion
November 2009
“Religion: A President’s Perspective” with President Jimmy Carter
Emory University
February 2010
Research Experience
Graduate Assistant
Emory University
Religion and American Cultures
July 2011- present
Assisted Profs. Gary Laderman and Luis León with the preparation, organization, and publication of the second edition of this encyclopedia. Organized contributor information and kept track of submissions and deadlines.
Research Assistant
Duke University
National Congregations Study
Fall 2007-Spring 2008
Worked with Prof. Mark Chaves on his sociological survey of American religious congregations. Assisted with cleaning up data sets and verifying raw data.
Teaching Experience
Instructor
Emory University
“Introduction to Religion: Christian and Hindu Traditions” Fall 2011
Designed and taught 100 level introduction to the academic study of religion that compared American Christianity and Indian Hinduism. Integrated a class WordPress blog and Twitter.
Instructor
Emory University
“TTE3: Theological Reasoning,” Spring 2010
Under the supervision of a faculty member in the theology school, led a small course focused around improving the writing and critical thinking skills of M.Div. students.
Teaching Associate
Emory University
“Religion and Sexuality” Fall 2oo9
Assisted the professor with course design, wrote and gave three lectures during the semester, assisted with grading and management of course details.
Teaching Assistant
Emory University
“Anthropology of Religion” Summer 2009
Designed and led two meetings of the course, assisted with grading and management of course details.
“History of Religions in America” Spring 2009
Wrote and delivered two lectures, wrote and graded all assessments and assignments with one other TA, managed course details with one other TA.
Teaching Assistant
Duke University
“Introduction to Hinduism” Spring 2008
Assisted the professor with grading and management of course details.
“South Asian Ethics” Spring 2008
Assisted the professor with grading and management of course details.
Also Prepared to Teach
“The Environment and the Sacred in American History”
“Theorizing Religion”
“Religion and Postcolonialism”
Public Writing/Scholarship
Religion in American History
April 2010-present
http://usreligion.blogspot.com
Contributor to an academic blog on religion in American history and culture that provides book reviews, academic news, and historical context for current events.
Religion Dispatches
March 2009-present
http://www.religiondispatches.org
Contributor writing blog posts, book reviews, and articles on religion in America, religion and culture, and religion in the news. Wrote a popular weekly roundup of religion headlines for about a year.
Professional Affliations
American Academy of Religion
American Society of Church History
American Studies Association
