18 June 2026
Zeke Ward (MLitt Student in Theology and the Arts)
Tell us about your research and how it connects to memory/identity studies?
My research is focused on the interdisciplinary field of Theology and the Arts with an emphasis on theatricality, narrative, and aesthetics. I am particularly interested in the modern philosophical concept of the self and how the visual and performing arts mediate one’s conceptualization of the self, identity, and God. Most recently, I have been exploring how stained glass functions as a medium for theological encounter and memory formation.
What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on my dissertation regarding the theological concept of despair in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. I am evaluating the modes in which the characters in the play experience the dialectic of despair, how they are able to turn from despair towards theological hope, and how that act allows the audience to make the same turn. I was honored to present at the CIMS Symposium on “Memory as Future Practice” and I look forward to continuing to explore the relationship between theology, the arts, and identity.