Date: Mar 31, 2008

"Sex and the Soul" author Donna Freitas to speak at Hofstra

Interviewed college students nationwide on sex and spirituality

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY - Donna Freitas, whose upcoming book "Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses" (Oxford University Press) provides insight into today's youth culture, will speak at Hofstra on Thursday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Hofstra USA, North Campus.

Dr. Freitas' talk is sponsored by Hofstra University Honors College, the Lecture Series in Catholic Studies, and First Year Connections.

Dr. Freitas' book is based on dozens of face-to-face interviews conducted at public, private and religion-affiliated colleges and universities nationwide in which she asked students how they reconcile spiritual longings with sexual freedom on campus. According to the publisher, "Many campuses...are dominated by the hook-up culture of casual sex. Moreover, a surprising number of students see little connection between sex and religion. ..Freitas's research also reveals that, even at secular schools, students are not comfortable with the prevalence of casual sex, and that they do want religion to speak about what they should do and who they should try to be - not just what they should avoid doing."

Dr. Freitas is an assistant professor of religion at Boston University and author of several books including, "Killing the Imposter God: Philip Pullman's Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials," co-written with Jason E. King (Jossey-Bass, 2007). A regular contributor to Beliefnet and Publishers Weekly, she has also written for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Christian Century , and School Library Journal, and she has appeared as a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered. She received her Ph.D. from Catholic University in 2002 and her B.A. in philosophy from Georgetown (CAS '94).

This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information contact Hofstra University Honors College at (516) 463-4842 or honors@hofstra.edu.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law.