American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Although religion continues to play a significant role in human history and general behavior, it is often minimized, overlooked and discounted especially in the academia and in national development. As a field of study, religious studies encounters numerous challenges, including that of relevance. Claims that religion and its study are irrelevant and impractical in modern society just because of misperceived notions that it is unscientific and therefore unlikely to lead directly to a specialized profession as in the case of the Science, Technology Engineering, and Math (STEM) based fields of study, undermine the significant role of religious studies in the academy and in development. This attitude toward religion and religious studies is expressed broadly regarding the humanities as well. Studies indicate that assertions that students who major in religious studies or the humanities waste time since humanities’ graduates are unemployable are not verifiable. This study draws from findings of a national survey and existing secondary data to highlight the place of religion, religious studies and the humanities in the academia and in national development. The study employs intersectionality as a framework to argue for the central role of religion and the humanities in national development.