Rebecca Moody

Rebecca Moody is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Philosophy & Religion at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). She holds affiliations with the Humanities and Arts, Philosophy & Religion, and International & Global Studies departments. Her roles include Co-Founder & Co-Director of the Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies Program, Director of the Morocco HUA Project Center, and Co-Director of the Morocco IQP Center. Moody specializes in religion in North Africa and the Middle East, particularly Islam, focusing on its representation in visual culture, such as Moroccan women’s film narratives.

Education:

• BA in English, Oklahoma State University (1998)
• MA in Women's and Gender Studies, University of Texas at Austin (2006)
• MA in Religion, Syracuse University (2010)
• PhD in Religion, Syracuse University (2018)

Her research integrates religion, cultural studies, feminist theory, and film theory to challenge dominant narratives about Muslim women. She co-authored a study on syllabi inclusivity published in Nature's Humanities and Social Sciences Connections (2024). Moody advocates for interdisciplinary teaching methods that unsettle traditional religious and cultural assumptions in the classroom.

Professional Engagement:

• Co-Chair, Religion, Film, and Visual Culture Unit, American Academy of Religion

Her current projects include a book analyzing Moroccan women filmmakers' works as resistance to patriarchal narratives. She leads initiatives in global education and interdisciplinary collaboration at WPI.