This talk by Mairaj Syed (UC Davis) delves into the complexities and merits of studying and teaching religious ethics in a secular academic institutional setting. It initiates a critical dialogue on methodologies, contrasting purely descriptive approaches with those advocating for normative inquiry. Further, it examines the impact of the rising prominence of Third Worldist and decolonial perspectives on these discussions. The talk will argue in favor of embracing both normative explorations of religious ethical inquiry. This stance is presented against the backdrop of diminishing dominance of secular, post-Enlightenment Western ethics, coupled with the ascendance of non-Western nation-states and their demographically expanding communities, as well as, the increasing enrollment of international students and individuals from Global South diasporas, and a burgeoning demand for ethical and moral frameworks that transcend the secular Western paradigm. These trends underscore a critical need for academic approaches that more accurately address contemporary ethical challenges, advocating for a reevaluation of the role of religious ethics in the secular academy.

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