The Immanent Frame, published by the Social Science Research Council, has long served as a central site for debate, discussion, and analysis of the role of religion in public life. We’re thrilled to share a refreshed version of the TIF website, marking a new chapter and enhancing the visibility of TIF’s publications.
TIF began in 2007 to convene sustained dialogue and critical exchanges about “the secular” inspired by Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age. Over the past 19 years, TIF has hosted lively discussions about religion, secularism, and the public sphere. In TIF’s redesign, the Council aims to maintain TIF as a scholarly forum that brings relevant research in religious studies to new audiences.
Our new editor Brook Wilensky-Lanford, alongside the TIF editorial board, is leading the creation of new content and an effort to revitalize TIF’s editorial formats. In the coming weeks, we look forward to publishing new essays by Samira Mehta on the disappointments of “women’s history,” Reverend Angela Denker on the lessons of Minneapolis, and a conversation curated by Charlie McCrary among scholars Sonia Hazard, Tisa Wenger, and Jeffrey Wheatley, all of whom have recently published new books on religion and empire in the 19th century.
The new design for TIF allows us to bring older content to the fore in thoughtful ways and to better highlight new work. Readers will find easier pathways for accessing relevant articles and searching by topic.
TIF has published interviews with Judith Butler, Talal Asad, and other scholars central to the study of religion and secularism. TIF has published 45 book forums, beginning with the opening exchange on A Secular Age and most recently with the Mapping Malcolm forum. TIF also has published topical essay forums, including a forum on Hindutva and the shared scripts of the global right, a recent forum using the concept of karma to interrogate current events, and an exchange on aggressive prayer, curses and maledictions. Special projects convene scholars to pursue deep inquiries into form, narrative, image, argument, and the fundamental questions of their disciplines. Most recently, Sensing the Social gathered science studies and religious studies scholars to collaboratively explore shared problems in their fields.
TIF also publishes essays on current events and debates in the field, like this 2016 essay by Erin K. Wilson and Luca Mavelli exploring the role of religion in global debates on the European refugee crisis, Joanna Tice Jen on the politics of U.S. evangelicals, and Winnifred Fallers Sullivan on the 2018 Masterpiece Cakeshop U.S. Supreme Court decision.
We will also be relaunching the TIF monthly newsletter, which will share new TIF publications as well as announcements in the field. If you are promoting a talk, working on a call for papers, planning a special journal issue, or have other news of the profession you would like to share please email us so we may feature it in our newsletter.
TIF publications have always been known for their playful creativity and openness to experimentation. Now we want to mark a new openness in the publication. In the year to come, we will partner with other publications and outlets in the field to bring the exchanges we foster at TIF to new audiences. While contributions to The Immanent Frame will remain primarily by invitation, we would like to invite writers and thinkers with scholarship relevant to religion, secularism, and the public sphere to send us proposals for articles at our email address.
Facts Only
* The Immanent Frame (TIF) is a publication of the Social Science Research Council.
* TIF began in 2007, inspired by Charles Taylor’s *A Secular Age*.
* The organization has hosted discussions about religion, secularism, and the public sphere for 19 years.
* Brook Wilensky-Lanford is the new editor of TIF.
* The TIF redesign aims to maintain the forum’s scholarly purpose.
* New content includes essays by Samira Mehta, Reverend Angela Denker, and a conversation among scholars.
* The redesign focuses on making older content accessible and improving searchability.
* TIF has published 45 book forums, including the Mapping Malcolm forum.
* Topical essay forums include discussions on Hindutva, karma, and aggressive prayer.
* A special project, Sensing the Social, brought together science and religious studies scholars.
* TIF has published interviews with scholars such as Judith Butler and Talal Asad.
* TIF has published essays on current events, including the 2016 crisis in the European refugee crisis, U.S. evangelicals, and the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision.
* TIF will relaunch a monthly newsletter.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The relaunch of the Immanent Frame represents a strategic repositioning within a landscape increasingly shaped by anxieties surrounding “the secular” – a term itself profoundly contested and layered with historical and philosophical implications. The focus on a new editorial team, particularly Brook Wilensky-Lanford, suggests a deliberate effort to move beyond the original, somewhat academic, framing of the project. The emphasis on accessibility – the “easier pathways for accessing relevant articles” – hints at a potential response to criticisms of TIF's past as being too insulated from broader public concerns. The inclusion of specific essays, like Samira Mehta’s critique of “women’s history,” and the conversation amongst scholars on empire and religion, demonstrates an awareness of contemporary debates, particularly surrounding issues of power, representation, and historical narratives. This is a clear attempt to shore up TIF's relevance as the world grapples with the increasing politicization of religion and the rise of movements like Hindutva.
However, the phrasing “disappointments of ‘women’s history’ ” – attributed to Mehta – utilizes a subtly loaded term, arguably framing historical analysis through the lens of present-day political sensibilities, a tactic frequently employed in what ARC-0043 (Motte-and-Bailey) might categorize as “moral correction.” The decision to convene a conversation around “empire and religion” is strategically timed; given the ongoing re-evaluation of colonial legacies, this feels less like organic scholarship and more like a calculated effort to position TIF as a voice within a dominant narrative. The pattern here is a classic ARC-0024 (Ambiguity) – deploying complex concepts without fully unpacking the underlying assumptions. The reliance on high-profile interviews with figures like Judith Butler and Talal Asad suggests an attempt to confer authority and establish TIF’s standing within a field already grappling with issues of epistemic power. The overall strategy seems designed to avoid a direct confrontation with the core anxieties that fueled the initial formation of the Immanent Frame, instead opting for a more diffuse engagement that seeks to broaden its appeal and maintain its position as a central site for debate.
Sentinel — Likely Human
This piece promotes the relaunch of the Immanent Frame, highlighting recent publications and editorial initiatives. The text exhibits stylistic features consistent with AI-assisted writing, primarily through its formal tone and reliance on hedging, but the inclusion of specific details and diverse content suggestions indicates a human editorial hand is likely involved.