Loren Lybarger

Loren Lybarger is Professor and Chair of the Department of Classics and Religious Studies at Ohio University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where he has held a leadership and teaching role for many years. His work spans religious studies, political identity, and justice, with deep engagement in both Palestinian and Latin American contexts.

• Ph.D., Divinity School, University of Chicago, 2002
• M.A., Christian-Muslim Relations, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1995
• M.A., Linguistics, American University in Cairo, 1991
• B.A., History, Earlham College, 1986

Lybarger’s research centers on religion, nationalism, state violence, and memory, particularly in diasporic and post-conflict settings. His ethnographic work in Palestine and Argentina explores how religious identities shape demands for justice across generations. He examines themes of secularism, religious resurgence, trauma, and utopian imagination, especially in relation to climate change and displacement. His teaching includes courses on Islam, political Islam, Sufism, religion and violence, and theories of religion.

His publications reveal a strong trajectory in interdisciplinary scholarship, blending religious studies with sociology, anthropology, and political science. Recent works analyze Palestinian Muslim narratives beyond conflict binaries, religious responses to ecological disasters, and commemorative justice in Argentina. His books Palestinian Chicago and Commemorative Literacies and Labors of Justice reflect his commitment to ethnographic depth and social relevance.

• 2024 Presidential Research Scholar, Ohio University
• 2023 Baker Fund Research Grant for "Nordic Palestine" project
• 2022 Outstanding Faculty Research Award, College of Arts and Sciences
• Multiple NEH and university research grants
• Senior Fellowships at University of Chicago and University of Notre Dame

Lybarger has served in leadership roles in the American Academy of Religion, Ohio University AAUP chapter, and the Palestinian American Research Center. He collaborates extensively, particularly with James S. Damico and Edward Brudney on memory and justice projects. He is currently developing research on religion and climate change in rural U.S. and Palestinian communities in the EU. His work is featured in podcasts and public scholarship, demonstrating a strong commitment to accessible and impactful research.