LBST 521 - Bible, Race, and Empire

This course explores the inherent connections between US expansionism, concepts of race/racialization, and biblical interpretation. We will analyze biblical texts and their reception in their historical and literary contexts, explore the contours of critical race theory, and consider the complex histories of American expansion “from below” (from the point of view of the marginalized). In short, we will seek to understand the confluence of various socio-political currents, delineating the ways in which biblical texts are redeployed as tools of oppression or instruments of liberation in the burgeoning American empire.

Unit(s): 0.5
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Notes: Graduate course. Offered spring 2026.
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Identify interactions and influences among various disciplines, fields, theories, analytical strategies, and source materials.
Deploy skills, methods, and knowledge developed in coursework.
Demonstrate close, analytical interpretations of source materials in one’s writing.
Conduct complex research, synthesize it, and argue persuasively in support of a claim based on evidence.
Analyze the value and significance of one’s own academic and creative work, and situate it within the context of similar works.
Express oneself articulately in oral discussion and in presentational modes when appropriate, and express oneself articulately in writing.