Joy R. Bostic

Joy R. Bostic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Case Western Reserve University and the founding director of the Africana Studies minor. She contributes to interdisciplinary programs in Women’s and Gender Studies and Ethnic Studies, with research focusing on intersections of race, gender, religion, and cultural resistance.

• Educational Background: Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management, Master of Divinity (MDiv), and Ph.D. in Systematic Theology.
• Key Roles: Co-Investigator for the Mellon Foundation-funded Humanities in Learning Leadership Series; steering committee member of the American Academy of Religion's Mysticism Unit.

Her scholarship examines race and gender in religious contexts, with a focus on African American mysticism, religious activism, and the role of religion in popular culture. Her 2013 monograph (African American Female Mysticism) and forthcoming 2026 book (Performing God-Talk) scrutinize these themes through historical and contemporary lenses.

Bostic collaborates internationally through the Transatlantic Roundtable on Religion and Race and co-edited its 2021 volume on Black religious landscapes. While no specific awards are listed, her leadership roles and externally funded projects highlight institutional recognition.