International Association for the History of Religions

*Recommended for membership by the Executive Committee, pending recommendation by the International Committee (see below), and admission by the General Assembly at a future quinquennial Congress.

Africa (Regional Association): AASR (African Association for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.a-asr.org

The African Association for the Study of Religions was founded in 1992 at Harare, Zimbabwe, in the context of a regional conference of the IAHR. It was formally affiliated at the XVIIth Congress of the IAHR at Mexico City in 1995. The membership includes regional representatives in West Africa, East and Central Africa, and Southern Africa, as well as members from other parts of the world. The ASSR co-hosted the XVIIIth Congress of the IAHR in Durban, South Africa in 2000.
By mutual agreement the AASR adopted The Journal of Religion in Africa as its official journal. [TOP]

Australia: The Australian Association for the Study of Religions (AASR)

Website: http://www.aasr.org.au/

The Australian Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) is a professional organisation, comprised of teachers, academics, students and others with a knowledge and experience of religious traditions, which was formed in Adelaide in 1976.

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Austria: ÖGRW (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Religionswissenschaft)

Website: http://www.univie.ac.at/oegrw/

The Austrian Association was founded in 1996.  It became affiliated with the IAHR at the XVIIIth congress in 2000. [TOP]

Bangladesh (National Association): BSSCR (Bangladesh Society for the Study of Culture and Religion)

The Bangladesh Society for the Study of Culture and Religion was founded in April, 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was affiliated as a provisional member of the IAHR in June, 2020. The society provides a platform for all who are engaged in the academic study of religions including, but not confined only to, historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, etc. The society promotes the academic interpretation of people, their beliefs, behaviors and institutions with particular reference to Bangladesh context and encourages academic collaboration on such studies both at national and international levels as well as undertakes cross-cultural studies to encourage better understanding among scholars. [TOP]

Belgium: BABEL, Association belge pour l’étude des religions/ Belgische Associatie voor de Studie van Religies
Website: http://www.babel-religions.be

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Brazil: ABHR/BAHR (Associacão Brasileira de História das Religiões/Brasilian Association for History of Religion)

Website: http://www.abhr.org.br/

The ABHR  was established in 1999 and since then it promotes annual congresses meeting researchers of different formations, as historians, anthropologists, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, scientists of the religion and others. The ABHR became affiliated with the IAHR at the XVIIIth congress in 2000. The ABHR publishes the Collection Studies of the ABHR, congregating the most relevant papers presented in the annual congresses.
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Canada: CSSR/SCÉR (Canadian Society for the Study of Religions/La Société Canadienne pour l'Étude de la Religion)

Website: http://www.cssrscer.ca

There are two IAHR-affiliated associations in Canada, one Anglophone and one Francophone (see Québec). The CSSR/SCÉR hosted the 1980 IAHR congress in Winnipeg. The association provides a meeting place for all who are involved in the academic study of religion, for example, anthropologists, historians, phenomenologists, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and theologians. The society fosters an interdisciplinary discourse in order to arrive at a better, integrated understanding of religious phenomena. It encourages research in the development of the study of religion with particular reference to the Canadian scene. And it promotes a critical examination of the goals, methods, and styles of teaching demanded by the discipline (loosely cited from Article II of the Constitution). In their efforts to encourage young scholars, the CSSR/ SCÉR offers student essay cash awards.
The CSSR/SCÉR publishes the journal Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses and CSSR/SCÉR Bulletin.  [TOP]

Canada (Quebec): SQÉR/QSSR (La Société québécoise pour l'étude de la religion/Quebec society for the study of religion)

Website: http://www.uqam.ca/sqer

This Francophone association was founded (in agreement with the Canadian Society of the Study of Religion) as an independent body which shares the Canadian representation in the IAHR.  Its aims as stated in its statutes are: "Le but de la Société est de promouvoir la recherche, l'enseignement et la diffusion des connaissances dans les disciplines ayant pour objet l'étude de la religion. Elle réunit des spécialistes provenant du Québec, du Canada français et d'autres horizons géographiques et culturels, qui s'intéressent à la production québécoise ou canadienne dans le domaine de l'étude de la religion."
Recently the association put a motion forward concerning IAHR language policy.  Please take the time to read it.
Concerning publications, the association writes: "La SQÉR a des liens étroits avec les revues Religiologiques, seule revue francophone de science des religions publiée en format électronique, et avec Studies in Religion / Sciences religieuses."[TOP]

China: CARS (Chinese Association for the Study of Religion)

After the development of contacts over a number of years the Chinese association was affiliated at the IAHR Congress in Rome 1990. A Regional Conference of the IAHR was held in Beijing in 1992 of which the proceedings have been published. 
The Chinese association publishes a regular newsletter. [TOP]


Czech Republic: Ceska spolecnost pro religionistiku
Czech Association for the Study of Religions

Website: http://www.casr.cz/indexen.php

The Czech association hosted three special conferences of the IAHR in 1994, 1999 and 2008 in Brno.
The official journal of the association is Religio. Revue pro Religionistiku. [TOP]

Denmark: DASR (Dansk Selskab for Religionsstudier)Danish Association for the Study of Religions

Website: http://www.dasr.dk

The Danish association became affiliated with the IAHR at the XVth congress in 1985. The DAHR co-hosted a special IAHR conference in Aarhus in 1996. The DAHR publishes a bulletin.[TOP]

Estonia: EAUS (Eesti Akadeemiline Usundiloo Selts)
ESSR (Estonian Society for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.eaus.ee/

The Estonian Society for the Study of Religions was founded on April 3, 2006 in Tartu. It was affiliated with IAHR at its XXth World Congress in Toronto on August 21, 2010. [TOP]

Europe (Regional Association): EASR (European Association for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.easr.eu

The European Association was founded at the IAHR Special Conference in Cracow, Poland (May 2000).  It became affiliated with the IAHR at the XVIIIth congress in 2000.
The EASR supports two kinds of networks: 1) a network of electronic discussion groups for various language regions and 2) a network of general links for its European Member Associations.  The elements of these networks are edited and managed by various independent teams.  The EASR facilitates their interaction but does not assume responsibility for their contents.  The main reason for having more than one electronic discussion list is to avoid domination by any one language.  Within the various language regions it may be possible to discuss different things in different ways.  This contributes to the cultural richness of Europe.  At the same time dual memberships will contribute to the network effect. 
The electronic discussion groups are: Synkron (Nordic languages plus English), Yggdrasill (German), Dolmen (English), Tonantzin (Spanish/ Portuguese/ Italian), Candide (French), and Most (East European languages). [TOP]


Finland: Suomen Uskontotieteellinen Seura Religionsvetenskapliga Sällskapet i Finland Finnish Society for the Study of Religion

Website: http://uskontotiede.fi/en/.

The Finnish Society for the Study of Religion (FSSR) has held regional IAHR conferences in 1973, 1990 and 1997. It publishes Temenos, a Nordic journal In Comparative Religion to which contributions are drawn from all of Scandinavia and elsewhere. The association hosted a conference on the topic "Method & Theory in the Study of Folk Religion" at the Linnasmäki Conference Centre in Turku, Finland, 23 October - 25 October 2003 marking the 40th anniversary of the SOCIETY and the 40th anniversary of the Department of Comparative Religion and Folkloristics at the University of Turku. It also host a conference on "Exercising Power: The Role of Religions in Concord and Conflict" at Linnasmäki Conference Center in Turku, 17 August - 20 August 2005 [TOP]

France: Société Ernest-Renan. Société française d'histoire des religions

Website: http://www.sfhr-erenan.fr

The French affiliate to the IAHR is named after Ernest Renan. The first in the series of congresses which led to the foundation of the IAHR took place in Paris in 1900. An IAHR congress was held in 1923 in Paris and an IAHR regional conference also in Paris in 1993.
The association publishes a bulletin. [TOP]

Germany: DVRW (Deutsche Vereinigung für Religionswissenschaft)

Website: http://www.dvrw.de:80/

Germany hosted the IAHR congress in Marburg in 1960, a special IAHR conference also in Marburg in 1988, and an IAHR regional conference in Hildesheim in 1998. 
The German association publishes the journal: Zeitschrift für Religionswissenschaft.  [TOP]

Greece: GSSCR (Greek Society for the Study of Culture and Religion)

The Greek Association was established in 2003 and it became affiliated to the IAHR in Tokyo, 2005.[TOP]

Hungary: Magyar Vallástudományi Tarsaság
Hungarian Association for the Academic Study of Religions

Website: http://silver.drk.hu/MVT/

Members of the Hungarian association have participated in IAHR events over many years spanning the political changes in eastern Europe. [TOP]

India: IASR (Indian Association for the Study of Religion)

Website: http://iasrorg.com

The Indian association became affiliated to the IAHR at the XVIIth congress in 1995.  The IASR co-hosted an IAHR Regional Conference on the topic "Religions in the Indic Civilization" at The India International Centre, Delhi, 18 December - 21 December 2003. [TOP]

Irish Society for the Academic Study of Religions (ISASR)

Website: http://isasr.wordpress.com/

The ISASR was formed on 19th February 2011 and was recommended for membership of the IAHR at the IAHR Executive Meeting in Bhutan, July 1st 2011. The ISASR is an association of scholars and researchers devoted to the academic study of religions within Ireland and internationally. It is a forum for the critical, analytical and cross-cultural academic study of religions, past and present and provides a space for scholarly activity across different disciplines and fields. The Society aims to foster a variety of research-related activity including conferences, seminars, workshops and publications. The ISASR is not a forum for confessional, apologetical, interfaith or other similar religious activities.[TOP]

Israeli Association for the Study of Religions


Website:https://iasr2015.wordpress.com/english/

The Israeli Association for the Study of Religions (IASR) was founded in October 2015 to replace an earlier organization – The Israel Society for the study of Religions, which was headed the late Prof. R.J. Zwi Werblowsky, who also served as Secretary-General and later Vice-President of the IAHR. The IASR aims at advancing the academic study of religions in the country by acting as a forum for relevant scholarly activities and holding relevant events, such as conferences, workshops, and seminaries.

The Association was affiliated as a provisional member of the IAHR in July, 2023. [TOP]

Italy: Società italiana di storia delle religioni

Website: https://sisrweb.it/

The Italian association held two IAHR congresses in Rome: the VIIth in 1955 and the XVIth in 1990. [TOP]

Japan: Nihon Shukyo Gakkai
The Japanese Association for Religious Studies

Website: http://jpars.org/english/


The Japanese Association for Religious Studies is one of the oldest of the IAHR member associations, having been founded in 1930. Japan hosted a major IAHR Congress in 1958 and the 2005 IAHR World Congress: "Religion: Conflict and Peace".
It publishes a Japanese journal, Shukyo Kenkyu, as well as an English
journal, Religious Studies in Japan (an entirely original journal, not
an English translation of Shukyo Kenkyu).[TOP]

Latin America (Regional Association): ALER (Asociación Latino Americana para el Estudio de las Religiones / Latin American Association for the Study of Religions)

The Latin American association was founded in 1990 and affiliated to the IAHR in the same year at the XVIth congress. It includes members from a number of countries in Latin America, many of whom attended the IAHR Congress in Mexico City in 1995. It hosted an IAHR regional conference in Bogota in 1996. [TOP]

Latvia: LRPB (Latvijas Reliģiju pētniecības biedrība/
Latvian Society for the Study of Religions)

The Latvian Society for the Study of Religions is an academic society which aims to promote the study of religions in Latvia and the international collaboration with scholars of religion studies abroad. [TOP]

LSSR, Lithuanian Society for the Study of Religions
Website: http://en.religijotyra.lt

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Mexico: Sociedad Mexicana para el estudio de las Religiones / Mexican Society for the Study of Religions

Website: https://www.facebook.com/SOMEPER/?fref=nf 

The Mexican association hosted the XVIIth congress of the IAHR in 1995. [TOP]

Netherlands: NGG (Nederlands Genootschap voor Godsdienstwetenschap)
Netherlands Association for the Science of Religions

Website: http://www.godsdienstwetenschap.nl

The Netherlands hosted the international congress at which the IAHR was institutionally founded, in 1950, at Amsterdam. It hosted an IAHR regional conference in Groningen in 1989 (which was co-hosted by the German association, DVRG). 
The NGG publishes a newsletter in Dutch.[TOP]

New Zealand: NZASR (New Zealand Association for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.nzasr.ac.nz

The New Zealand association became affiliated to the IAHR at the XVIIth congress in 1995.
The association publishes a newsletter called Yana twice a year and maintains a mailinlist (at http://lists.otago.ac.nz/listinfo/nzasr). [TOP]

Nigeria Association for the Study of Religions (NASR)

 

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North America (Regional Association):  NAASR (North American Association for the Study of Religion)

Website: http://www.naasr.com/

The North American Association for the Study of Religion (NAASR) was founded in 1985 to encourage historical, comparative, structural, theoretical, and cognitive approaches to the study of religion; to represent North American scholars of religion at the international level; and to sustain communication between North American scholars and their international colleagues engaged in the study of religion. NAASR was affiliated to the IAHR at the XVIth congress in 1990. NAASR holds meetings concurrently with the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and has been a Related Scholarly Organization of the AAR since 1998. NAASR sponsors a quarterly journal published by Brill, Method & Theory in the Study of Religion (MTSR), which is the only international periodical devoted exclusively to methodological and theoretical topics in the academic study of religion. NAASR also sponsors a book series, Key Thinkers in the Study of Religion, which is published by Equinox. [TOP]

Norway: NRF (Norsk Religionshistorisk Forening)
Norwegian Association for the History of Religions

Website: http://nrf.uib.no/

Members of the Norwegian association have participated regularly in IAHR events and also in cooperative activities in Scandinavia. The Norwegian association publishes a bulletin in Norwegian. The NRF in collaboration with EASR hosted an IAHR special conference: "The Globalisation and Localisation of Religion", Bergen, Norway, 8 May - 11 May 2003. [TOP]

Philipines: The Philippine Association for the Study of Culture
History and Religion (PASCHR)

Website: http://www.paschr.org/

The Philippine Association for the Study of Culture, History, and Religion (PASCHR) aims to contribute to the formulation of the Filipino national identity through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and scholarship on the Philippines’ indigenous and folk traditions, as well as their colonial, postcolonial, and contemporary developments and links, within the Asian region and beyond, from the perspectives of culture, history, and religion.. [TOP]

Poland: Polskie Towarzystwo Religioznawcze
(Polish Society for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.ptr.edu.pl
Journal: https://journal.ptr.edu.pl

The Polish Society for the Study of Religions (PSSR) was established in 1958. The organization brings together Polish academics interested in studying religions from various disciplines. The mission of the organization is to create and develop knowledge about Religious Studies.

PSSR publishes a scientific journal entitled “Przegląd Religioznawczy – The Religious Studies Review”. This is one of the oldest Polish academic journals covering religious studies. The journal was founded in 1957 and has been a part of the PSSR since 1960. From 1957 to 1992 it was published as „Euhemer. Przegląd Religioznawczy". Since 1992 it was renamed to „Przegląd Religioznawczy – The Religious Studies Review”.

Since 1970 PSSR is a member of the International Association for the History of Religions and since 2001 it is a member of the European Association for the Study of Religions. The Polish association hosted IAHR conferences in 1979, 1989 and 2000. [TOP]

Romania: RAHR (Romanian Association for the History of Religions)

Website: http://www.ihr-acad.ro

The Romanian Association was established in 1997 and it became affiliated to the IAHR in Tokyo, 2005.
It publishes two academic journals: ARCHAEVS (1997-) and STVDIA ASIATICA (2000-). [TOP]

Russia: Association for Russian Centers for the Religious Studies
Website: http://philosophy.spbu.ru/203/8314/12958/12960

Association for Russian Centers for the Religious Studies is a successor to the IAHR-affiliated Russian Association for the History of World Religions (September 2006), which was constituted in its turn as a successor to the IAHR-affiliated Soviet association. In November 2012 during The First Congress of Russian Scholars of Religion the Russian Association for the History of World Religions as renamed and got another governing body. Now it is called Association for Russian Centers for the Religious Studies and is headed by the Governing council, which elects the Secretary.

It's journal is called "Religiovedenie" (Religious Studies)
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Slovakia: SSŠN/SASR (Slovenská spolocnost' pre stúdium nábozenstiev pri SAV Bratislava/Slovak Association for the Study of Religions)

The Slovakian association is a reorganized association formerly a part of the Czechoslovakian IAHR affiliate. The Society for the Study of Religions was founded in 1990 in the Czech Republic and in 1991 Prof. Komorovský joined this society’s committee as a representative of religionists in Slovakia. The Slovak Association for the Study of Religions was founded in 1992 in Bratislava while its sister Czech organization was renamed the Czech Society for the Study of Religions. Both associations have agreed to continue cooperation in the future. The Slovak Association became an IAHR affiliate at the XVIIIth congress in 2000. The association is open to researchers in various disciplines, e.g. ethnology, history, archaeology, oriental studies, psychology, sociology, and theology.  Students of the science of religion are also admitted. According to its programme, the association encourages universities and the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The association also arranges lectures for the general public.
The SSŠN publishes a journal, in Slovakian, entitled Axis Mundi.
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Sloveni: SASR (Slovenian Association for the Study of Religions)

The Slovenian Association for the Study of Religions (SASR) was founded in June 2023 as voluntary, independent, non-profit professional association in the field of religious studies, i.e. the scientific, non-confessional and non-apologetic study of religions. It was established on the basis of a tradition that started in 2004 with the Religious Studies Section of the Slovenian Sociological Association. The scope of the Association's work encompasses the social sciences and humanities, the theoretical, empirical, critical, and comparative study of religions, either disciplinarily or through inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration of researchers who approach the object of their study in such academic ways. The Association was affiliated as a provisional member of the IAHR in June, 2023.
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South and Southeast Asia: SSEASR (South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion)

Website: http://sseasr.org.

The South and Southeast Asian association was established in 2005 during its inaugural conference in New Delhi, India, which was an IAHR Regional Conference. This is the first time that scholars from the whole region were joined together in a common academic endeavor. The SSEASR became affiliated to the IAHR in Tokyo, 2005. The association is a regional one, and brings together scholars and institutions from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka,Singapore, Thailand, Timore Leste and Vietnam, as well as interested scholars from many other parts of the world. The association is open to researchers in various disciplines, e.g. history, linguistics, political science, anthropology, sociology, literature, cultural studies, law, folklore etc.
The SSEASR publishes a peer reviewed Journal, bi-annual Newsletter and books related to South and Southeast Asian culture and religion. [TOP]

South America: Mercosur/Mercosul
ACSRAL (Associacion of Social Sciences of Religion of Latin America)

Website: www.acsral.org (under construction)
Journal: https://acsrm.org/revista/ (will soon be moved to another site)

The Association was founded in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1994, under the name of association of social scientists of religion of MERCOSUR. In 2022 changed its name to the current one to include all of Latin America.

Its purpose is to encourage research and teaching of the Social Sciences of Religion from a Latin American perspective and to stimulate social scientists from Latin American countries to contribute to the analysis of the religious phenomenon.

Since 1999 it publishes the Journal Ciencias Sociales y Religión/Ciências Sociais e Religião, (Social Science and Religion) an important vehicle for the dissemination of research in the region.

The Association organizes its conference every two years, the Jornadas de Alternativas Religiosas en América Latina (Conference on Religious Alternatives in Latin America).[TOP]

South Korea: KARS (Korean Association for Religious Studies)

Website: http://koars.org

Members of the Korean association have been attendint IAHR congresses for a number of years.
A journal is published in Korean entitled Chonggyo Yeongu (journal of religious studies) [TOP]

Southern Africa: ASRSA (Association for the Study of Religion in Southern Africa)

Website: http://asrsa.org

This association is largely based in, but not strictly limited to South Africa. Thus its members played a significant role at the IAHR conference at Harare in 1992. It co-hosted the XVIIIth IAHR congress in 2000.
Its own conferences are held regularly and a journal is published entitled Journal for the Study of Religion. [TOP]

Spain: SECR (Sociedad Española de Ciencias de las Religiones) Spanish Association for the Sciences of Religions

Website: http://www.secr.es

The Spanish association became affiliated to the IAHR at the 1995 XVIIth congress.
The association had published a bulletin in Spanish (BSECR: Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Ciencias de las Religiones) from number 1 (1994) to number 19 (2004). In 2007 the Bulletin has changed to an international journal including contributions in Spanish and English, named Bandue. Revista de la Sociedad Española de Ciencias de las Religiones / Bandue. Review of the Spanish Association for the Sciences of Religions.  [TOP]

Sweden: SSRF (Svenska Samfundet för Religionshistorisk Forskning)
Swedish Association for Research in Comparative Religion

Website: https://svenskreligionshistoria.wordpress.com/

Sweden hosted the 1970 IAHR World Congress in Stockholm and held an IAHR Special Conference in 2007 at Södertörn University.
The membership journal is CHAOS. [TOP]

Switzerland: SGR/SSSR (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Religionswissenschaft/Société Suisse pour la Science des Religions)

Website: http://www.sgr-sssr.ch 

The webpage (in german and french) provides an extensive information on the activities of the association. A bulletin is published giving extensive details of activities in Switzerland relating to the study of religions. [TOP]

Turkey: TÜDTAD (Türkiye Dinler Tarihi Dernegi) TAHR (Turkish Association for the History of Religions)

The Turkish Association was established in 1994, however, many of the members fondly remember Prof. Annemarie Schimmel's efforts during the 1950's to help place the history of religions on more firmer ground in Turkey. The association consists of 99 members from different universities in Turkey. It became affiliated to the IAHR in Tokyo, 2005.

-Link to publications
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Ukraine: UARR (Ukrayins’ka Asotsiatsiya Religiyeznavtsiv) (Ukrainian Association of Researchers of Religion)

Website: https://ure-online.info/about-uar/

The Ukrainian association was founded in 1993in Kyiv on the base of Religious Studies Dpt. of National Academy of Sciences. Now it unites about 200 members - the religious scholars, teachers of religious studies disciplines, theologians, museum staff, journalists, and workers of other educational, governmental and cultural institution. UARR publishes a bulletin entitled “Ukrayins’ke Religiyeznavstvo”(Ukrainian Religious Studies) and a journal “Religiyna svoboda” (Religious Freedom).

UARR was formally affiliated at the XVIIth Congress of the IAHR at Mexico City in 1995. 

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United Kingdom: BASR (British Association for the Study of Religions)

Website: http://www.basr.ac.uk/


The BASR (formerly BAHR) is one of the older affiliates of the IAHR and hosted an IAHR congress in 1975 in Lancaster.
It has published its own bulletin for many years. A conference is held annually.  [TOP]

United States: AAR (American Academy of Religion)

Website: www.aarweb.org

The American Academy of Religion is a scholarly and professional society serving some 10,000+ scholar-members, primarily from the United States, who are committed to the study of religion in all its diversity.  The purpose of the AAR derives from two principal goals: (i.) To promote understanding of and critical reflection on religious traditions, issues, questions, values, texts, practices, and institutions.  To this end, the AAR fosters communication and exchange among teachers and scholars, and the public understanding of religion. (ii.) To serve the professional interests of AAR members as students, teachers, and scholars.  The AAR is committed to promoting equity, responsibility, and democratic accountability within the academic study of religion and in the work of the AAR itself.  [TOP]