Research Interests for Joseph R. Winters

My research interests lie at the intersection of modern religious thought, African American religious thought, and critical theory. My work contributes to recent endeavors to re-imagine and expand our understanding of black religion, black piety, and black cultural practices. Using a dialogical approach, I examine black religious and literary thought in conversation with critical theory and continental philosophy. My research also draws from theories and approaches to religious studies. My first book, Hope Draped in Black: Race, Melancholy, and the Agony of Progress (Duke UP, 2016) challenges racial progress narratives by examining the relationship between remembrance, loss, and hope in black literature and aesthetic practices.

Current projects:

I am currently starting a project on hip hop, religion, and literature.

Areas of Interest:

Religion and Critical Theory
African American Religious Thought
African American Literature
Continental philosophy of religion

Recent Publications

1. Zamalin, A; Winters, JR; Olson, A; Njoya, W, Toni Morrison and political theory, Contemporary Political Theory, vol. 19 no. 4 (December, 2020), pp. 704-729 [doi]