Religion in Conversation is where you’ll find conversations that tackle questions, big and small, about religion. Join religious studies expert, Milad Milani and his guests as they dive into the issues, topics, and challenges shaping religion today. The show also explores the minds of great thinkers who have left us with timeless ideas that still provoke and inspire us to this day.
Follow Religion in Conversation on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform. You can find all our episodes and more on the Religious Studies Collective webpage https://westernsydney.edu.au/human
Publisher
Religious Studies Collective of Western Sydney University
Episode 16 Tantric Buddhism with Elizabeth McDougal
Milad Milani interviews Tantric Buddhism expert Elizabeth McDougal about her new book, The Words and World of Ge bcags Nunnery: Tantric Meditation in Context, published by Brill, and her fieldwork experiences within a Tibetan Buddhist nunnery.
8 Apr 2026
Episode 15 Philosophy of Place with Jeff Malpas
Milad Milani interviews philosopher Jeff Malpas on "The Brightness of Place."
17 Mar 2026
Episode 14 Religion and the History of Ideas with Garry Trompf
Milad Milani interviews Emeritus Professor in the History of Ideas about his career in the study of religion from Papua New Guinea to the University of Sydney, including discussions on his work on "recurrence" and "payback."
6 Feb 2026
Episode 13 Matthew J. Dal Santo on the idea of "theocracy" in Russian political imagination
Mark Kelly interviews Matthew J. Dal Santo n the idea of "theocracy" in Russian political imagination and state power from the 1917 Revolution to Putin’s contemporary Russia.
13 Jan 2026
Episode 12 God Bothering Beckett with literary theorist Chris Conti
Milad Milani interviews Chris Conti, literary theorist and Beckett expert on the literary apophaticism of Beckett and other questions about the role of religion in human life....
(recorded December 2025)
13 Jan 2026
Episode 11 Katabasis in religious history with Mario Baghos
Milad Milani interviews Mario Baghos of Notre Dame University (Sydney) on the theme of Katabasis in the history of religion, from Gilgamesh to Jesus to Tolkien...
(recorded December 2025)
24 Jul 2025
Episode 10 Magical Amulets and the Study of Religion with Jay Johnston
Milad Milani interviews interdisciplinary expert in the study of religion Jay Johnston about her latest book Amulets in Magical Practice published by the Cambridge Elements series. We discuss, religion, religious studies, and methodologies.
*NB, Jay Johnston is Honorary Professor in (not ‘of’) Gender and Cultural Studies at USyd.
15 Jul 2025
Episode 9 Invented Religions, Sports and Religion, NRMs, and more with Carole Cusack
Milad Milani interviews distinguished religious studies scholar Carole Cusack about her work on Invented Religions, Sports and Religion, New Religious Movements, and much more.
21 May 2025
Episode 8 Engaging Philosophies of Religion with Bilimoria, Loewen, and Kopf
Milad Milani interviews Purushottama Bilimoria (The University of Melbourne), Nathan Loewen (The University of Alabama), and Gereon Kopf (Luther College) about their latest co-edited book, Engaging Philosophies of Religion: Thinking Across Boundaries.
19 May 2025
Episode 7 Political Theology, Bruno Bauer, and Karl Marx with Charles Barbour
Milad Milani interviews Charles Barbour, expert on political theology and nineteenth century intellectual history about the legacy of Hegel and the Young Hegelians and situating Marx's philosophy.
8 May 2025
Episode 6 Attar and the Religion of Love with Cyrus Zargar
Milad Milani interviews Sufi Studies expert Cyrus Zargar of UCF on Attar's "religion of love."
30 Mar 2025
5 Sociology of religion and religious life with Bryan Turner
Milad Milani interviews eminent sociologist of religion, Bryan S. Turner of ACU on his lifetime work in sociology and his work on Islam.
23 Mar 2025
4 Dickinson, religious experience, and poetry with Helen Koukoutsis
Milad Milani interviews Helen Koukoutsis on Emily Dickinson’s relationship to religion and religion in her poetry. Helen also reads some of her own poetry (Dickinson inspired).
14 Mar 2025
3 Stories of Deconversion with Sarah Bacaller
Milad Milani interviews Sarah Bacaller on submitting her thesis Thinking Finitude and Faith: Hegel’s Epistemic Reconciliation and her new edited book Apostate: Stories of Deconversion.
4 Feb 2025
2 Fundamental Islam with Milad Milani
Mark Kelly interviews Milad Milani about his 2024 book, Heidegger, Ontology and the Destiny of Islam.
23 Jan 2025
1 Normal Now with Mark G. E. Kelly
Interview with Associate Professor Mark G. E. Kelly about his book Normal Now: Individualism as Conformity (Polity, 2022)
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