Timothy Landry graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013 with a Ph.D. in anthropology specializing in West African and Afro-Caribbean religions. Professor Landry’s research examines the ways in which religious secrecy and material culture encourage the globalization of autochthonous West African religious practices as new African diasporas are formed around the world.

In the classroom, Professor Landry directs students’ attention to the importance of human and religious diversity. In so doing, students are able to challenge the ways they have come to see African and Afro-Caribbean religious practice. Through classroom engagement, Professor Landry shows students that one can no longer study African society only in Africa. As such, in many of his courses, Professor Landry helps students to engage with established African and Afro-Caribbean communities in nearby urban centers such as Hartford, New York City, and Boston. Through community engagement, theoretical and ethnographic rigor, and dynamic classroom discussion Professor Landry instills in his students an appreciation for embodied learning and critical thinking.