Religion – Badger Talks – UW–Madison

Moses Altsech

mreinfeldt — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:33:19 +0000

An award-winning professor, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Dr. Moses Altsech has over 30 years’ teaching experience at the graduate and undergraduate level. As a consultant and researcher he has worked with dozens of clients from over thirty industries across the US and overseas, and as a speaker he has received praise from business and community leaders and–to his great delight–one Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Dr. Altsech’s talks can also be offered in Greek and French.

A speaker fee may apply.

Charles L. Cohen

jnweaver — Tue, 02 May 2017 19:58:01 +0000

Charles L. Cohen, the E. Gordon Fox Professor of American Institutions, Emeritus, has taught and written about colonial British North America, American religious history, and the braided histories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His scholarship has been recognized by, among other awards, the Allan Nevins Prize of the Society of American Historians for his work on the psychology of Puritan religious experience, terms on the councils of both the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, and the American Society for Church History, and appointment as Distinguished Lecturer, Organization of American Historians. His teaching has been honored by two awards from the UW-Madison History Department, the Emil Steiger Award for Excellence by UW-Madison, a Phi Beta Kappa award from UW-Madison, and listing in Who’s Who of American Teachers. He created UW-Madison’s Advanced Placement Summer Institute; directed the Religious Studies Program from 1997-2005; and was Founding Director the Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions (LISAR), whose mission was to create better understandings of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by encouraging ongoing discussion of these traditions and their interrelationships among scholars, members of those traditions, and the general public. His book, “Abrahamic Religions: A Very Short Introduction,” will be published in 2019 by Oxford University press.

Nandi (Sunita) Nandihalli, LPC/RYT

mreinfeldt — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 18:50:15 +0000

Nandi (any pronouns) is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Wellness Consultant, & Registered Yoga Teacher who brings a holistic perspective to well-being work. With a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from UW-Madison and over a decade of experience in research and cross-cultural education, Nandi believes that true resilience is built by connecting to our whole selves—mind, body, and spirit. Their approach is informed by blending science & ancestral healing principles, focusing on intergenerational wisdom and cultural strengths as powerful resources for navigating modern stress, burnout, and life transitions. Nandi is passionate about creating a safe, affirming space for everyone and honors the courage it takes to ask for support.

Pronouns: any

A sliding scale speaker fee applies to these talks.

KD Thompson

mreinfeldt — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:07:00 +0000

KD Thompson is a linguistic anthropologist and discourse analyst who explores the intersections of language, power, and identity in Muslim communities in East Africa and North America. Their research delves into how language shapes religious belonging, community formation, and nonconformist identities. Through ethnographic work in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, as well as in digital spaces and North American Muslim communities, Thompson’s scholarship bridges geographical and cultural contexts. Their books—including Muslims on the Margins: Creating Queer Religious Community in North America (NYU Press, 2023), Popobawa: Tanzanian Talk, Global Misreadings (Indiana University Press, 2017), and Zimbabwe’s Cinematic Arts: Language, Power, Identity (Indiana University Press, 2012)—offer critical insights into discourse, representation, and lived experiences. As a faculty member in the Religious Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Thompson teaches courses on language and religion, Islam in Africa and the diaspora, identity in religious communities, and Buddhism and anti-racism.

Presentation can also be offered in Swahili.