Annual Meeting of the Midwest Region of the American Academy of Religion; Missouri State University

Conference: Annual Meeting of the Midwest Region of the American Academy of Religion at Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
February 29 to March 2, 2024

Presentation: “Departure & Development: The Dissolution of the American Presbyterian Mission to Egypt”

Report:

From February 29th to March 2nd, 2024, supported by a Graduate Student Conference Travel Grant from the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, I was able to participate in the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Region of the American Academy of Religion (MAAR) held at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. The research I presented, entitled “Departure and Development: The Dissolution of the American Presbyterian Mission to Egypt,” traces the shift in American churches from a paradigm of conversion to one of development. Drawing on archival research completed at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I interrogated the varied narratives surrounding the dissolution of the mission, the colonial shadow of religious intervention, and secular development practices in mid-twentieth century Egypt.

I found the process of presenting my research at MAAR helpful in both the preparation leading up to the conference and the feedback I received following the presentation. I had been struggling with condensing this larger research project into something concise for presentation and future publication. Through the preparation for this conference and workshopping of the shorter conference paper format with the History Department’s US & The World working Group (which is currently about 80% Kellogg Doctoral Student Affiliates), I was able to distill the larger project into something consumable, clear, and concise. The public presentation of the research allowed me to get feedback from graduate students and faculty that will help me further this research in two ways. First, the insights from other conference participants helped me think through where to focus future archival research related to this topic. Second, the detailed insights on how to present the historical case will help me improve the current draft as I move towards submission for publication.

Beyond the presentation of my research, participating in the MAAR annual meeting allowed me to participate in an engaged academic community interested in research related to the core themes and regions of the Kellogg Institute. I also enjoyed the opportunity to attend presentations on a broad range of topics and build relationships with graduate students and early career scholars. I hope to stay engaged with this welcoming and interesting intellectual community throughout my time as a graduate student and beyond.