Religious Studies News communicates important events of the field and examines critical issues in education, pedagogy, research, publishing, and the public understanding of religion. Sometimes that involves sharing what others are writing about the field and these issues.
In Open Tabs, RSN editors will share the articles they’ve been reading and thinking about. If you have recommendations for articles, podcasts, or other media you’ve recently encountered that examine issues that fall under the purview of RSN, email us.
What We’re Reading
“The Obscure Rules Change That Could Drive More Foreign Students Away”
Published May 13, 2026, in The Chronicle of Higher Education
At a moment when higher education is already navigating profound uncertainty, reporter Karin Fischer draws attention to a visa policy change with sweeping implications for international students:
“A seemingly arcane change to visa rules could be the next blow to the enrollment of foreign students in the United States.
The Trump administration wants to impose fixed deadlines for international students to leave the United States. Colleges fear the new regulation could cause havoc at the height of visa season — and discourage students from coming in the first place.
The guidance, which is expected to be released any day, would make visas valid for four years or the anticipated length of a student’s degree — whichever is shorter. Students in longer programs like doctorates would have to apply for an extension to finish their studies.”
“How the Commencement Speech Became One of Colleges’ Biggest PR Problems”
Published May 14, 2026, in The Chronicle of Higher Education
Reporting fellow Sonel Cutler writes about how a once coveted achievement — being named a commencement speaker — has become a minefield rife with potential blowback:
“For the past quarter century, colleges have vied to book movie stars, mayors, and Muppets to deliver to soon-to-be graduates messages of inspiration as they enter the world. Speeches settled into a predictable pattern. They were uplifting, motivational, reflective — and apolitical.
But since 2020, Hauserman said, two major shifts have upended the predictability of commencement speeches: the explosion of social media and a surge of public commentary, often on such platforms, about social issues.
When a commencement speaker is announced, Hauserman said, their online footprint now makes it easy for students to find objectionable activity and quickly craft a petition, start an online campaign, or plan a protest.
Georgetown Law Center’s planned speaker, Morton Schapiro, backed out of giving the commencement address last week after students petitioned the university to rescind his invitation.”
“The Absurdity of the Trump Administration’s ‘Anti-Christian Bias’ Report”
Published May 6, 2026, in Religion Dispatches
AAR member Robert P. Jones, president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, offers a sharp analysis of the 500-page report released by the Trump administration’s “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias.”
From the article:
“Last Thursday, the federal government’s “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias” released a massive 500-page report, which allegedly “details the Biden Administration’s radical efforts to punish Christians and highlights President Trump’s efforts to restore religious liberty.”
[…]
I won’t try your patience by detailing the litany of half-truths, cherry-picked details, and misleading stories that pepper the report. But here’s just one example—my favorite—of the flimsy scaffolding on which this report is built. The report makes this claim in “Key Finding 14”: “The Biden Administration regulated and suppressed religious speech that it did not like and curtailed Christians’ ability to jointly worship and study the Bible.” As evidence, the report makes this assertion: “In 2023, a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma was told to extinguish the flame of a religious candle or risk losing its participation in Medicare and Medicaid, including Children’s Health Insurance Program funding.”
Sounds terrible, right? But what’s the real story? Saint Francis Health System, a Catholic hospital system in Tulsa, kept a sanctuary candle burning in its chapel as a Catholic devotional practice. A 2023 accreditation review cited “a lit candle with open flame burning unattended 24/7” in a hospital environment with oxygen equipment as a fire safety issue. The devotional candle was never targeted by the government as a religious practice. The government’s concern was with the safety of patients at the Catholic hospital.”
“Another Mass Shooting. More Dead Muslims. This Is America.”
Published May 20, 2026, in Religion Dispatches
In this mournful piece, AAR member Hussein Rashid situates the recent San Diego Mosque shooting within a long arc of anti-Muslim violence in the United States:
“When I first started writing about anti-Muslim bias in the US, I saw a connection between foreign policy and domestic policy. If we failed to confront our history of racism and genocide at home, we’d continue to be racist and genocidal abroad. The attack in San Diego comes against a backdrop of us supporting Israel in their genocide in Palestine and Lebanon, and their forays into Syria and Iran. We killed over 100 children in a school in Iran, without even thinking of it.
In an environment of mass shootings, which we accept without any concern other than “thoughts and prayers,” we’ve created a permission structure for killing Muslims. This is America.”
“America’s Musical Founding Father: ‘Liberty Songs’ by a Self-Taught Singer and Tanner Helped Fuel the Revolution”
Published May 14, 2026, in The Conversation
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding this July 4th, AAR member David Stowe shares a little-known history of the composer William Billings, who might be considered America’s first noteworthy composer:
“As July 4, 2026, approaches, Americans will be paying more attention than usual to events of 1776: the year the American Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. Public historians, including filmmaker Ken Burns, have tried to offer a more inclusive view of the American Revolution, highlighting lesser-known patriots. But figures such as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin will undoubtedly get the lion’s share of attention on the 250th anniversary.
One important character who rarely makes it into the limelight is the pioneering composer William Billings, who lived in Boston at the time of the Revolution.”
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