Author Archives: Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst

About Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst

Assistant Professor of Religion

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduates

Posted on by

Religion classes always make things more complicated, nuanced, and contradictory, which is more reflective of how life and people actually work. I really enjoy learning about people in all of their messiness and creativity and religion classes have been the spaces where humans in all of their dynamism and multiplicity can be honored.

– james coppa
James Coppa ’24

Why did you major in Religion?

I chose to switch to a Religion major from Psychology because these classes were the first spaces I encountered where structural inequities and injustices were discussed and examined in dynamic and nuanced ways. Religion classes encompass nearly every topic and aspect of life you could think of which makes classes engaging and allows amply room for creativity and differing perspectives. Religion classes at UVM also actively work against the tendency to narrow people and societies down to easily understood generalizations and ideas. Religion classes always make things more complicated, nuanced, and contradictory, which is more reflective of how life and people actually work. I really enjoy learning about people in all of their messiness and creativity and religion classes have been the spaces where humans in all of their dynamism and multiplicity can be honored. There’s never one right or simple answer which is really quite cathartic for me. 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I would like to have a PhD in some sort of Religious Studies program and be teaching at some university, ideally outside the US. Religion classes have fostered within me a passion for education as activism through the contestation and analyzation of the ways in which we construct identities and histories and I would like to return the favor. I try to live in a way that can have a more positive impact on the world around me and I see myself as being able to have the greatest possibility for change through education. But perhaps I’ll switch into law or working with an NGO. We’ll see. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Definitely Radical Ecologies, especially if you’re interested in science, because it takes so many seemingly disparate elements (philosophy, economy, environmentalism, religion, gender, etc) to highlight the ways in which they are all interconnected to construct the realities and knowledge systems within which we operate. And anything with Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst—no reason needed. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I have a few ideas in mind, but I don’t want to spoil anything… You’ll have to wait and see. 

Any fond memories of the Department you want to share?

Nothing in particular. I’ve been here for so long it’s all blended together. 

What did we miss? Anything else you’d like to share?

Thank you all in the Religion Department for your support, understanding, and passion. I wouldn’t have graduated and had this much excitement for my future had I not made my way over here and met you all. 

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduates

Posted on by

During in my first semester, I enrolled in a few religion classes to see if I would like it or not, and I ended up loving it. I began to realize that religion was always present in various ways and started to think a lot about how I had witnessed the different ways states and institutions approached religion while growing up abroad.

– isabella infante
Isbella Infante ’24

Why did you major in Religion?

To better understand the world around me, obviously! When I transferred to UVM, I knew I wanted to double major in something that would complement political science while offering different perspectives on the questions I grappled with in that field. Initially, I considered economics (which, in hindsight, I don’t think I would have liked) or philosophy, but then my dad suggested religion. So, during in my first semester, I enrolled in a few religion classes to see if I would like it or not, and I ended up loving it. I began to realize that religion was always present in various ways and started to think a lot about how I had witnessed the different ways states and institutions approached religion while growing up abroad. And who knows, maybe my parents dragging my sister and I to all those churches and temples throughout my youth primed my interest on a subconscious level!

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

I’m not sure what shape this will take, but making education and important knowledge about politics, religion, and the media more accessible to others. At the bare minimum, we can hope I will finally be coming around to being a real person with healthcare and knowledge about how to pay my taxes and surrounded by people who I love and care about who are helping me learn and experience new things.

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Religion, Nation, and State! I know that’s not an introductory-level course, but I believe that, generally, seminars are the best classes. By the end of the semester, I had more questions than answers, but in a fun and interesting way that made me want to learn more. I also really appreciated the way Professor Borchert facilitated discussions and made us truly think about all that complexity. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

Hmmm that’s hard! Maybe compile all the post cards I have sent and received from my friends and family? I go through phases of sending letters to people. My little cousin and I were pen pals for a while, but he got too cool for me once he got to high school. I also wrote a lot of letters to my high school friends when our senior year was interrupted by covid. It was a nice way to make meaningful time for them when I couldn’t just see them every day like I was used to. And sometimes when my parents or I go to a new place we send each other postcards.  It’s fun to show people where you’ve been and what you have been up to and to reflect on how your paths have diverged and come together at different times. I have almost all the letters and postcards I’ve received from the last five or so years saved, so that’s nice. 

Any fond memories of the Department you want to share?

I will fondly remember all the times we spent laughing in my religion, nation, and state classes. To pick just one of those memories, the time that Emily realized I had accidentally come to own a signed copy of Onishi’s book – which was definitely not something I prized myself in owning, but hey… shoutout to Half-Priced Books! They have catered to my textbook needs since high school, and I am forever grateful. 

What did we miss? Anything else you’d like to share?

I always tell my younger sister to take classes with the professors she likes rather than the classes that sound interesting. It will be the professors who will make the content interesting and encourage you to learn and care. I think you learn the most when you have a good teacher, and the faculty of the religion department defiantly hold that to be true. My religion classes have been my favorite courses and the ones I have learned the most in. Not only do the religion professors deliver excellent instruction, but they really care about their students and are super supportive. I am very grateful to all of them!

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduates

Posted on by

My favorite memories in 481 mostly revolve around moments where I would almost forget I was even in a class – moments where I was simply enjoying the company around me and the discussions we were having.

– tash brown
Tash Brown ’23

Why did you major in Religion?

I originally came to UVM as Undecided and spent my freshman year trying out any class that sounded interesting, hoping to find something that piqued my curiosity. In my second semester, I decided to take REL 30: Introduction to Islam taught by the insanely smart and funny Professor Morgenstein Fuerst and got my first taste of what studying religion could be like. And I absolutely loved it. It was one of the first classes where I felt I was learning something truly meaningful and important, while also finding the content super fascinating. 

Later that semester, I decided to declare Religion as my major just for the heck of it, thinking I could always change my mind later. Turns out I found the perfect fit for me!

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

Man, who knows! With the world being on fire and all, it’s hard to even gage what next year will be like. My plan is to take things as they come and see where that path takes me! I’m hoping that in 10 years I will be happy, stable, and with the people I love. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

All the religion classes are fantastic, so it’s hard to pick just one. Anything with Prof. Borchert and Prof Morgenstein Fuerst are a great bet. They’re both such amazing and brilliant people and are masters at teaching challenging subjects while maintaining a causal and comfortable environment.  

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I struggle to even finish reading a book, so I’m not sure I’ll be getting around to writing one anytime soon. If I were able to muster up the ambition, I would probably write on how the importance of religious literacy, especially when it comes to families and how religion is discussed in the household.

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

For a creaky, bug-ridden, drafty house, 481 Main St really did become a safe haven for me, particularly in these past two years. One of my favorite things about the religion department is how small we are, in the way that I was able to gain amazing relationships with my professors and classmates that I could have never done in one of the larger departments. Because of those bonds, this house really did become a home. My favorite memories in 481 mostly revolve around moments where I would almost forget I was even in a class – moments where I was simply enjoying the company around me and the discussions we were having. I especially enjoyed this past semester’s senior colloquium, where I basically got to hang out every week with some of my favorite people. 

What did we miss? Anything else you’d like to share?

Just that I can’t stress enough the impact this department has had on me, and how thankful I am for the people I’ve met and the lessons I’ve learned. Studying religion has been so rewarding, and I’m grateful to know more about something so significant and expansive. I honestly believe every student should take at least one religion course and get a chance to start seeing the world in a new way. It’ll blow your mind. 

Senior Spotlight: a series about our graduating seniors

Posted on by

[The time spent on the couches in the back room] was such a fun thing to look forward to before class and gave me a real sense of community in the religion department.

– Rachel Zieff ’23
Rachel Zieff ’23

Why did you major in Religion?

Majoring in Religion was kind of an accident for me. My friend from high school who was a few years older and a minor in religion recommended that I take a class with Professor Morgenstein Fuerst, so I took Introducing Hinduism my first semester freshmen year and then didn’t stop taking classes in the department. I was a religion minor for a while, but when the department almost got cut my sophomore year, I decided to change to a major and I haven’t looked back since! 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

If I’m being completely honest I can’t picture my life in 10 years. Hopefully I’ll have the means to travel a lot and have meaningful community in my life at that point. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Any classes with Professor Morgenstein Fuerst are guaranteed to be winners. Her entry-level courses are what got me hooked on religion classes. You’ll learn a ton and they’re really entertaining classes. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I would probably write a book on my travels, which is maybe the wrong answer given that it’s not very academic. That said, I journal extensively whenever I travel, and I would love to turn my stories into a book at some point. 

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

Last semester, I looked forward to the half hour before class that I would spend with Evie Wolfe and Annie Barton in the couch room. We’d just decompress and fill each other in on our lives, sometimes throwing in a little nap or cramming in a last-minute reading. It was such a fun thing to look forward to before class and gave me a real sense of community in the religion department.

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating seniors

Posted on by

I really appreciate the interdisciplinal and intersectional nature of the study. I came to UVM hoping to start enjoying learning again, and the religion department is the reason I can say I’ve achieved that goal!

– alexa chinitz
Alexa Chinitz ’23

Why did you major in Religion?

At the beginning of the pandemic one of my friends was in the process of converting to Islam. Since there was nothing else to do at the time, we would sit and chat for hours about things like religion, politics, and identity. I enjoyed learning and talking about religion enough that I decided to take classes in school instead of relying on self education. I really appreciate the interdisciplinal and intersectional nature of the study. I came to UVM hoping to start enjoying learning again, and the religion department is the reason I can say I’ve achieved that goal!

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

I would love to be in school for a PhD (ideally studying something that relates to religion). But if nothing else, in 10 years I hope to be a little bit wiser and know more about the world than I do now.

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Every 200 level course I’ve taken (secularism, empire, and body) has been much more applicable in my everyday life than I initially anticpated. I also have to give a shoutout to the class that got me started in the major – mysticism, shamanism, and possession.

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I have no idea, I can’t even pick a paper topic for my final due next month.

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating students

Posted on by

The study of Religion is so important and enlightening and I don’t think I would be who I am today or have the goals that I have without 481 Main Street and all the amazing professors and classes that it has to offer.

– annie barton
Annie Barton ’23

Why did you major in Religion?

I majored in Religion because I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the majority religion intertwines with sociopolitical life in a way that excludes members of minority religions from both political decisions and social opportunities. I wanted to learn more about how religion *actually* functions in the United States, because I could clearly see that separation of church and state is not really a real thing. 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I hope to be teaching high school English, writing public school curriculum that is less inherently protestant, and running rivers, hiking, climbing, and skiing! I’ll live in a small but practical house somewhere on the west side of the continent, have at least two big dogs (preferably Danes or mastiffs), and spend my free time being outside and reading. Hopefully no kids, a loving partner, and family close by. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Introducing Hinduism is the course that really affirmed my decision to be a REL major. Come for the interesting and seemingly-foreign subject matter, stay for the ways in which the class opens up your mind to racism and sexism within the academy that affects you blatantly as a student and really makes you think about everything wrong with the world and what you can do to change it. It’s also a great class because it exhibits how the REL major is a combination of pretty much every humanities discipline- linguistics, history, political and human geography, English and literature, and of course, political science! 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

This is a tough one, but these days I would love to write a memoir about my experience growing up in, what I believe to be, the end-stages of an authoritarian capitalist government, and how it has affected my mindset about everything from linear vs. circular growth to the ethics of reproduction to climate change to spending money on a little treat. I think that my generation is located in a very unique point in history, and some sort of written map of our experiences and how we have been conditioned to handle our lives might one day prove to be a very historical document. Also a collection of short horror stories…but that’s not as relevant to the degree haha. 

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

Too many to count, but basically just whenever those fighter jets would fly over the classroom and the entire thing would shake and everyone would just sit there in silence for, like, one minute, waiting for the ruckus to subside, and then discussion would resume as if nothing had happened. 

Also, it took practice and a few choice incidents, but I am proud that I learned how to advocate for myself and my ideas as a woman in academia in 481 Main.  

What did we miss asking? What else do you want to share?

Just that my degree in REL has literally changed my life and the way I think about the world. The fact that UVM doesn’t consider the REL degree or department to be worth spending money on just supports everything the degree teaches you about academia being controlled primarily by rich white men who only care about education that fits into a snug little box of protestant, capitalist, and patriarchal ideas with no room for BIPOC, female, or non-heteronormative scholars or curriculum that might challenge the norms we have upheld since slave owners were in charge… 

The study of Religion is so important and enlightening and I don’t think I would be who I am today or have the goals that I have without 481 Main Street and all the amazing professors and classes that it has to offer. I cannot emphasize the importance and impact of this department on my life enough!! 

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating students

Posted on by

I took [Dr. Clark’s] advice and sought out the classes and subjects which most intrigued me and again and again I returned to religion. Intellectually, I was constantly engaged by my professors and the course-material they taught, but as an individual it was the religion department’s tightknit community that I appreciated most.

– greta close
Greta Close ’22

Why did you major in Religion?

Since I was a child, I have been curious about religion. As a “two-day saint” (a Christian affiliate who attends church on Christmas Eve and Easter), I was not raised religious, but constantly wondered why people participated in religion and what it did for them. Then on a trip to Europe in high school, I was exposed to the massive cathedrals built during the “dark ages” and I was baffled by the feats of engineering and architecture that had been the product of religion. So, when I arrived at UVM as a freshman and signed up for classes, I picked “What is the Bible?” as my TAP class, hoping to find an answer to these questions which had plagued me for years.

Although clear answers were far from what I’d discover, I’d consider this to be my best academic decision. Not only did I end up in Professor Clark’s class, in which I became fascinated by the study of religion, but as an undecided student she became my advisor. And as I played with different ideas for majors – ranging from Art History to Communications – Clark pushed me to indulge my curiosity and intellect. As a student-athlete surrounded by very clearly academically tracked individuals, this encouragement meant a great deal to me. 

Going forward, I took her advice and sought out the classes and subjects which most intrigued me and again and again I returned to religion. Intellectually, I was constantly engaged by my professors and the course-material they taught, but as an individual it was the religion department’s tightknit community that I appreciated most. By the end of my sophomore year, I declared a major in religion. 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

It’s hard for me to imagine myself anywhere in 10 years because I am so eager to travel in the present. But based on my current interests, I would see myself as an established adventure journalist living in a mountain community but continuing to travel and cover intriguing adventure stories in 10 years. I hope to be a member of a close community which values the environment, is eager to learn, and is filled with good, interesting, and diverse people. I would love to be living abroad, perhaps in New Zealand, but I’m open to living in many places. I also hope I am continuing to engage with new ideas, concepts, and arguments like I was exposed to in college… and hopefully reading more.

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Gosh, that’s a tough one. I would say for a first-year without previous interest in religion, a class with Professor Morgenstein-Fuerst like “Intro to Hinduism” is a great hook into the REL department. If it’s someone already interested by religion, culture, etc. I would say “Islam and Race” or “Islam and Modernity” with Morgenstein-Fuerst or “Mysticism, Shamanism, and Spirit Possession” with Brennan are very intriguing. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

Hmmm… I think would like to write a memoir, detailing the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met, and the perspective I hold — that is if my life grows in interest and relevance!

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

I’ll always fondly remember meetings with my professors, in which I was offered tea, life advice, and always someone to talk to. Thanks to everyone who made 481 a comforting and happy place.

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating students

Posted on by

The seminar room is unlike any other on campus. Being in the religion house and thinking about how little I knew my first semester freshman year sitting at that table to feeling so much more confident in myself is a really special feeling. 

– hannah kiely
Hannah Kiely ’22

Why did you major in Religion?

I majored in Religion because I wanted to study why people practice religion and how it affects them and the world around them. 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

In ten years, I hope to be an attorney, eventually returning to Maine and living near the ocean. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

Any class in the religion department that is super specific is always really fun and interesting. Women in Christianity to 1500, Islam and Modernity, and Buddhism in Sri Lanka were my favorites. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

If I could write a book, I think it would be about the chronological journey of female subjectivity from the high Middle Ages to our modern day. A lengthy endeavor to say the least. 

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

The seminar room is unlike any other on campus. Being in the religion house and thinking about how little I knew my first semester freshman year sitting at that table to feeling so much more confident in myself is a really special feeling. 

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating students

Posted on by

The first class I took was with Professor Trainor about Christ and Buddha it really engaged me. I felt engaged by both the content and the questions being asked. I was really intrigued so took other classes and followed that thread. 

– jake wilson
Jake Wilson ’22

Why did you major in Religion?

I started out not having any ideas of what I’d major in, but I had always been interested in religion, and learning about how other people live and center their lives. The first class I took was with Professor Trainor about Christ and Buddha it really engaged me. I felt engaged by both the content and the questions being asked. I was really intrigued so took other classes and followed that thread. 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

Somewhere warmer than Burlington. 

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

I loved the Jewish Creativity and Ritual Course with Professor Andrus. I think it gives a glimpse of all the different dimensions that religion courses offer. It has interning theoretical base with all these cool readings which challenged the way I thought. But also it gave me the chance to see those ideas in practice as we got to interview an artist and make our own artistic creations as part of the final projects. 

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I wish there were more books connecting more theoretical ideas about ritual, community and belief to modern life, so maybe something like that trying to connect modern music or tv shows to a lot of these ideas, showing the way they are interrelated and the ways religion is still a part of of our experience and understandings. 

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

It was really cool to take a lot of different types of courses in the same place each coming year, and to end with the senior colloquium there. One memory that sticks out is getting that Religion Mug in Professor Borchert’s Interpretations of Religion, this was during COVID lockdown and the class was hybrid, so the mug was a way of providing that together feeling even while behind the screen. 

Senior Spotlight: a series on our graduating students

Posted on by

What I loved about every class is that it would usually invite discussions of race, social structures, politics and gender into the classroom, which made it all the more special and interesting to learn about. As a result of that, it granted me the space to think critically about religion in the context of colonialism, globalization, societal norms, and so much more. It also taught me that religion is everywhere and that it intersects with every aspect of our lives, which means it can’t be ignored! 

– lena ginawi
Lena Ginawi ’22

Why did you major in Religion?

During my freshman and sophomore year of college, I honestly couldn’t figure out what I wanted to study. However, what felt like a waste of time was honestly a blessing in disguise because I eventually found the major that I truly loved: Religion!! At first, I decided to minor in religion, but as I started taking more REL courses, I realized there was something special about the Religion department and the study of Religion, so I decided to major in it. What I loved about every class is that it would usually invite discussions of race, social structures, politics and gender into the classroom, which made it all the more special and interesting to learn about. As a result of that, it granted me the space to think critically about religion in the context of colonialism, globalization, societal norms, and so much more. It also taught me that religion is everywhere and that it intersects with every aspect of our lives, which means it can’t be ignored! 

Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I hope to be doing what I love and utilizing the skills that I’ve gained from the religion department to navigate the world. I see myself as a human rights defender in Egypt working against the oppressive and arbitrary arrests and detention of political prisoners.

Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?

This is honestly a tough one for me to answer because I absolutely enjoyed every REL course that I took at UVM. However, if I were to choose a couple, I would say Islam & Race and Religion, Health & Healing! I really enjoyed Islam & Race because it granted me the space to both grapple with my own identity and to think critically about the racialization of religious minorities. I also really enjoyed Religion, Health & Healing because it helped me think about how folks use religion to make sense of illness, death and suffering in the context of colonialism and norms shaped by society.  

If you could write any book, what would it be?

I’ve always been interested in the arts and creative modes of expression! More specifically, how folks of color use poetry as a way to reclaim their narrative in a postcolonial and racialized society. So, I would probably write a book of poetry to tell my own story and to reclaim my narrative as a Muslim woman of color. 

I would also love to write a book on the Egyptian anti-imperialist movement and the effects of colonialism during the British occupation in Egypt I think it would be super interesting to explore some of the ways it has shaped political identities and social order in postcolonial Egypt. 

Any fond memories of 481 Main Street you want to share?

I loved going to the back area of the REL department and sitting on the couch until class would start. It was such a comfortable space to be in and it was a good little hiding spot if I wanted to escape from UVM’s busy campus. 

I also loved having class in the seminar room! I realized I learn a lot better in smaller classrooms spaces, and it also grants me the opportunity to establish more meaningful connections with my classmates and professors.