ISS WebTeam

July 9, 2016

The Abeng – A Journal of Transdisciplinary Criticism – Inaugural Issue

Inaugural Issue – November, 2014 Once admiringly acknowledged, in the words of a Xhosa praise, as NguZanengxaki (“Bringer of Problems”), Charles H. Long’s work over the last fifty years has significantly explored and expanded the boundaries of the History of Religions. Born in Little Rock, […]

July 9, 2016

Remarks on the Launch of the Institute for Signifying Scriptures as independent organization

by Vincent L. Wimbush The following is a redacted version of remarks given by the Institute’s director on November 15, 2014. Welcome all to this auspicious occasion—the launch of the Institute for Signifying Scriptures (ISS) as independent organization.Boko Haram. The Islamic Maghreb. ISIS. Justice Scalia’s […]

July 9, 2016

Toasts on the Occasion of the Launch of the New ISS

November 15, 2014, Pasadena, California A Toast by Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje: Good evening ladies and gentleman, my name is Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje. I am pleased and honored to have been invited to participate in this historic occasion. I first met Vincent Wimbush in 2003-04 when […]

July 9, 2016

Katie Van Heest – Reflections on the ISS – Ten Years In

Hello, and welcome to the inaugural feature of what will be our ongoing series, “Reflections on the ISS.” Over the next several months, we will be posting a series of essays and personal reflections on the work produced by the ISS during its first decade. […]

July 9, 2016

Richard Newton – Reflections on the ISS – Scriptures at Its Root

Hello, and welcome to our continuing series, “Reflections on the ISS.” This series features personal essays and informal ruminations on the past, present and future work of the ISS. While all of the posts have been written by scholars and intellectuals of a variety of […]

July 9, 2016

Announcing the First Annual Meeting of the ISS

The ISS has announced its first full participation seminar to be held in Portland, OR, from February 18-20, 2016. The topic for the inaugural seminar is “Meaning.” Please visit our Event page for further information and to register. If you have any questions, please email […]

July 9, 2016

Vincent Wimbush Responds to the Recent NYT article on ISIL’s “Theology of Rape”: It’s Scripturalization, Stupid!

The recent article in the NYT (“ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape,” August 13, 2015) about the rape of Yazidi girls and women by elements within ISIS and their appeal to the Quran for its justification rendered me at first nearly paralyzed and without words. […]

July 9, 2016

Katie Van Heest Responds to Vincent Wimbush’s: “It’s Scripturalization, Stupid!”

Yes, I agree that “religion” and “theology” are categories that dull the analysis and turn people off—specialists and the general public alike. So your offering of “scripturalism” and “scripturalization” (maybe the former a subcategory of the latter) addresses a real problem in cultural engagement, whether […]

July 9, 2016

An Interview with Anthropologist James Bielo, ISS Founding Board Member

Dr. James Bielo is an Assistant Professor in Anthropology and Founding Board Member of the ISS. His ethnographic work focuses on the contemporary United States, specializing in Linguistic Anthropology, Ethnographic Methods, Anthropological Theory and the Anthropology of Global Christianity. He is the author of Words […]

July 9, 2016

Routledge Releases Latest Edition of the Scripturalizing the Human Project: The Written as the Political

by Kima Lalruat Scripturalizing the Human: The Written as the Political (2015) advances the work of the Institute for Signifying Scriptures (ISS) by exploring multiple sites of scripturalizing practices as reflectors of social formations. Each essay in this edited volume focuses on a discrete historical […]

July 9, 2016

Lalruatkima Responds to the Huffington Post’s Recent Article on the Legally Enforced Rape of Two Indian Women

The recent Huffington Post article (“Indian Tribunal Orders 2 Sisters Raped as Punishment for Brother’s Elopement,” August 28, 2015) about the rape-for-elopement punishment meted by an all-male village council in India was both disturbing and confusing. For those keyed in on the recurring reports of […]

July 9, 2016

ISS Annual Meeting Announcement – 2016

INSTITUTE FOR SIGNIFYING SCRIPTURES FIRST ANNUAL MEETING THE KENNEDY SCHOOL PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 18-20, 2016 The ISS announces and extends invitation to all interested and curious parties to its first Annual Meeting, organized as high-level dynamic trans-field and trans-disciplinary seminar. The seminar is to be […]