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About Meghan
Meghan J. Clark, Ph.D., is a professor of moral theology at St John’s University (NY). At St. John’s, Clark engages students inside and outside the classroom on diverse topics in moral theology and Catholic social thought. In 2015, she was a Fulbright Scholar to the Hekima Institute for Peace Studies and International Relations at Hekima University College, Nairobi, Kenya. She has conducted fieldwork on human rights and solidarity in Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. In May 2018, she was a Visiting Residential Research Fellow at the Centre for Catholic Studies at the University of Durham (UK). She is the author of The Vision of Catholic Social Thought: Rhe Virtue of Solidarity and the Praxis of Human Rights (Fortress Press, 2014). In 2022, she was Assistant Coordinator for North America for the global theology project “Doing Theology from the Existential Peripheries,” a project of the Migrant & Refugee Section of the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development. She received her Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Boston College (2009) and her BA from Fordham University (2003).
What is your area of expertise or field of study?
Moral Theology or Christian Ethics is my field with a specialization in Catholic social thought. My research focuses on the intersection of religion, human rights, and global development. Within Catholic social thought, I try to incorporate the questions and perspectives of women affected within my theological ethics. Currently, I am working on a Catholic social ethics case study looking at the Global Sisters Vaccination Network program initiated by the health sector of the Vatican Covid Commission and funded by FADICA/GHR/Hilton Foundations during the pandemic; I am listening and examining the way that Catholic religious women mobilized within their communities to combat misinformation and for health equity. I am working on a case study on the principle of subsidiarity – looking at the efforts in the Philippines and Kenya. I am honored to have an AAR Individual Research Grant to support this project.
Why did you get involved with AAR, and how is your work aligned?
As a student, I went to the AAR Annual Meeting to network and interview. In the years since, I appreciate the diversity of communities and opportunities provided through AAR. Attending the November Annual Meeting can often be difficult, so I am grateful for how many other programming opportunities AAR offers through Regions and online webinAARs.
What is your favorite AAR member benefit, and how has it helped your career?
The AAR grant programs are a rare and invaluable benefit. Currently, I am most grateful for the 2024 Individual Research Grant that provided me the funding needed to travel to the Philippines to interview religious communities in February as part of my current research. But I also want to spotlight the teaching and pedagogy resources. In 2023, I completed the Certificate for Inclusive Pedagogy. Specialized pedagogy resources and support for religion professors is a huge benefit of membership in the AAR.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to a first-time Annual Meeting attendee?
Remember: academic conference schedules are aspirational! It just isn’t possible to do everything. Don’t be afraid to find your own rhythm – for some that’s scheduling in a nap or exploring something in the city. Personally, I always make sure to do at least one non-academic thing in whatever city I attend a conference in, often a fun local restaurant, museum, or church.
What book is on your nightstand that you’re reading or intend to read in the future?
Currently, I am in the middle of two books: one fiction and one non-fiction. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz is the third in his Susan Ryeland series and employs a novel within a novel framework, centered on a book editor whose authors always seem to be hiding things in their novels. The layers of mysteries are fun. For non-fiction, I just started Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. The book is compelling and infuriating because of the real pervasive global health injustices examined. I expect it will end up on my Theological Ethics of Healthcare syllabus next year.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love the ocean. I live near the beach in New York City (if you’ve flown into JFK airport, you likely flew over my house.) One of my favorite things to do is walk along our five-mile boardwalk listening to the waves and looking out on the horizon for dolphins, whales, and other marine life.