The Revealer

Why should we consider women specifically when thinking about the conspiracy theories that haunt and shape American politics? Noelle Cook, author of The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism, and the Lure of Belonging, joins us to discuss the women who stormed the Capitol on January 6 and the conspiracy theories they believe. What are some of the most prominent conspiracy theories January 6 women insurrectionists believe? How do conspiracy theories function like a religion? How are conspiracy theory communities a reaction to the problems facing the world? And, what can be done about the massive problem of political conspiracy theories today?

What are the limits of today’s wellness culture and how might thinking about the religious roots of wellness trends give them more meaning? Liz Bucar, author of Beyond Wellness: How Restoring the Religious Roots of Spiritual Practices Can Heal Us, joins us to discuss today’s wellness industry. How might things like yoga and fitness classes offer more if we think about religion? How might religion counter some of the dangers of detox dieting? What can some of the religiously-rooted teachings in Alcoholics Anonymous offer all of us? And, even for those of us who feel uncomfortable with religion, what can religious insights offer that can help with genuine well-being?

What is the history of evangelical queer activism? William Stell, author of Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity, joins us to discuss what gay evangelical activists set out to achieve. Who were some of the most prominent evangelical gay activists and what were their goals? How did evangelical leaders and institutions respond to this activism? What led to the decline in evangelical gay activism such that many people today cannot imagine it was ever a viable movement? And, what is the state of evangelical queer activism right now?

How is vaccine hesitancy in America like a religion? Kira Ganga Kieffer, author of Unvaccinated Under God: Religion and Vaccine Hesitancy in Modern America, joins us to discuss connections between vaccine hesitancy and religion. What factors contributed to large numbers of people expressing skepticism at pharmaceutical companies and medical authorities? What led to an alliance between vaccine-hesitant Americans and religious conservatives? How have predominantly Black churches tried to promote vaccines as safe? Why did the Covid vaccine become such a prominent religious freedom issue? And, what needs to happen so that vaccine-preventable diseases are not a danger in the United States?

What is contributing to the number of Puerto Ricans converting to Islam, and what is the longer history of Latino Muslims in the Americas? Ken Chitwood, author of Borícua Muslims: Everyday Cosmopolitanism among Puerto Rican Converts to Islam, joins us to discuss Puerto Rican Muslims. How do Puerto Rican Muslims navigate life as a religious minority in Puerto Rico and throughout the United States? How do they approach being a racial and ethnic minority in predominantly Muslim spaces? How do they blend their Puerto Rican ethnic identity with their Muslim religious identity? And, what do Puerto Rican converts to Islam reveal about religion in the Americas today?