Biography
Jacob Barrett (he/him) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Originally from Colorado Springs, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion from Nebraska Wesleyan University (2020) and an M.A. in Religion in Culture from the University of Alabama (2022). His dissertation, “Intimately Governed: Sex, Religion, and the First Amendment,” employs queer theory to examine how religious freedom functions as a mechanism of governance in American politics, analyzing intersections of religion, sexuality, and citizenship.
Jacob has been deeply involved in AAR leadership since 2021. He currently serves on the Graduate Student Committee, where he spearheaded the Open Letter Series addressing graduate student challenges. He also serves on the Teaching Religion Unit Steering Committee and as Marketing and Publicity Director for AAR-Southeast.
At UNC, Jacob has taught extensively in Religious Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. His scholarship includes the article “Allowing Belief: Performativity, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the Governance of Belief Claims” in Implicit Religion (2022) and two forthcoming chapters in NAASR working papers volumes. Jacob also serves as a New Books Network host and previously worked for the North American Association for the Study of Religion.
Candidate Statement
When I was a junior in college, I attended my first academic conference. With a charge from my advisor to “Just go!” I loaded up my car and drove to Denver to attend the 2018 annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. That transformative experience ignited my passion for this field and organization – a passion that has driven my commitment to the AAR for seven years and counting.
As a strategic leader who transforms challenges into solutions, I am committed to building on the Graduate Student Committee’s momentum while expanding our impact during this pivotal transitional moment in the AAR’s history. We cannot afford to continue to let the largest constituency of our organization struggle in silence.
The Graduate Student Committee’s survey in June 2024 of over 130 student members revealed that financial challenges and rising living costs overwhelm students’ daily lives, while their programs leave them least prepared for publishing and navigating the job market – the very skills they need most. We designed this survey to help department chairs, graduate directors, and faculty understand what students are struggling with and how they desperately need support. Yet when only three faculty members attended our WebinAAR presentation of the findings, the message became clear: we must find new ways to reach those with the power and resources to create change. That’s why I spearheaded the ongoing Graduate Student Committee’s Open Letter Series, transforming raw data into compelling advocacy that speaks directly to faculty. When students tell us “I feel like I’ve been sold a dream that isn’t attainable,” we cannot simply nod sympathetically; we must act.
We must meet graduate students where they are, creating resources that empower their success whether they pursue academic careers or forge paths beyond the academy. Imagine a comprehensive toolkit – modeled after the successful REL Toolbox developed by the Academic Relations committee – that doesn’t just help students survive graduate school but helps them thrive in whatever direction their passion takes them. The future I envision also includes launching the AAR GSC Peer Mentorship Program and fostering authentic community among graduate students across institutions, because when we support each other, we all rise.
And, resources alone won’t solve structural problems. We must also engage faculty and administrators where they are, creating opportunities for genuine dialogue about how departments can better support their students. The challenges our students face aren’t individual failures, but systemic issues that require collective solutions. Most importantly, we must advocate within AAR leadership for policies that recognize students as our largest constituency and most valuable asset. Travel grants help, but we need comprehensive approaches that address the root causes of accessibility and inclusion challenges.
The AAR’s future depends on supporting the next generation of scholars, and I’m ready to lead that charge. Together, we can transform challenges into opportunities and ensure that graduate students don’t just survive their programs, but emerge as empowered leaders ready to shape the future of religious studies within, and most certainly beyond, the academy.