Edward Hale, Adjunct Faculty
Office: Stabler Hall, Room 307
Phone: 569.3312
Email: exhale@ualr.edu
Introduction
I grew up in North Little Rock. I started college as a math major, but soon developed more of an interest in human behavior. In particular I wondered how universal the ideas I grew up accepting were. Hence I developed an interest in religious ideas of people around the world. I wanted to know what ideas people agreed on and what they disagreed about. I wound up with a double major in math and philosophy and went on to study comparative religion in graduate school. When I was unable to find a job at graduation, I moved back to Arkansas and turned my hobby into a vocation by opening up a shop to build musical instruments. When I became a certified scuba instructor a few years ago, I realized again how much I enjoy teaching and began teaching religion courses at UALR.
Teaching Interests
I enjoy looking at the great variety of religious traditions that exist, so I like to teach the classes in World Religions and Religion, Society, and Culture. I have also offered a class in Hinduism and one in Buddhism because I thought the program here could use more in these areas.
Research Interests
In graduate school we were forced to concentrate our focus on one tradition. Since I preferred variety I chose to concentrate on Hinduism with its rich and varied culture. My interests shifted more and more to the early period of the religion and to comparison with the religions of other early Indo-European speaking peoples.
Publications
My only publication in the field of religion to date is my PhD thesis which was published by Motilal Banarsidass under the title Asura in Early Vedic Religion. (I do have 2 self published books on how the play the hammered dulcimer.)
Educational Background
PhD in The Study of Religion (Comparative Religion), 1980
Harvard University
MTS in The History of Religion, 1973
Harvard Divinity School
BS in Humanities and Science (Philosophy), 1970
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
BS in Mathematics, 1970
Massachusetts Institute of Technology