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January 2003
Robert
Orsi Becomes 2003 President of the American Academy of Religion
Contact:
Kyle Cole, 404.727.4725
Dr.
Robert A. Orsi, American religious history professor at Harvard Divinity
School, was elected president of the American Academy of Religion for 2003. He
began his term at the conclusion of the AAR's November annual meeting in
Toronto.
Orsi
follows University of Florida professor Vasudha
Narayanan. He assumes the presidency following a year as president-elect and a
year as vice president.
As
president, Orsi leads the major scholarly society in the field of religion. In
addition to his role as public spokesperson and representative, he presides
over the board and executive committees and makes all appointments to
editorships and committees. Also, he will shape the plenary program of the
annual meeting. Orsi will deliver the Academy's presidential address in
November 2003 in Atlanta.
"Bob
Orsi brings great gifts of mind, spirit and heart to the presidency of the AAR,"
said Barbara DeConcini, AAR executive director. "His presidential year
promises to be significant granted the confluence of his prodigious talents
with what is a strategic time in the life of the Academy. And what a joy it is
to work with him."
Founded in 1909, the
American Academy of Religion is the world's largest association of scholars of
religion, with more than 9,000 members. A member of the American Council of
Learned Societies, the Academy fosters excellence in scholarship and teaching
about religion and promotes its broad public understanding.
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