Sean McCloud

Sean McCloud is a Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His work bridges social theory, ethnography, and cultural history to examine religion's role in shaping identities, boundaries, and class dynamics. He focuses on Third Wave Evangelicalism, neoliberalism, supernatural practices, and media representations of religion.

McCloud’s research critically analyzes how religion both constructs and challenges social hierarchies. His notable works include American Possessions (2015), Divine Hierarchies (2007), and Making the American Religious Fringe (2004). He co-edited Religion and Class in America (2009) and is working on Everyone Has Class (2026), a guide to understanding American inequality.

His teaching emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches, covering topics like religion and popular culture, new religious movements, and identity construction. McCloud’s work often intersects with media studies, exploring how film, music, and reality TV reflect and shape religious beliefs.

Outside academia, McCloud is a musician, playing in punk bands like The Nids and Eleneki. This creative background informs his research on music’s role in religious and class dynamics. His academic contributions are marked by accessibility and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities through critical religious studies.