About
Professor Daniel Prior is a faculty member in the Department of History at Miami University, affiliated with the Havighurst Center. His research focuses on Inner Asian history, nomadic cultures, oral heroic poetry, and human-animal relationships. He directs the NEH-funded EMKONS project with the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Academy of Sciences and Miami University Libraries. Prior holds a PhD and MA from Indiana University and a BA from Yale University.
His research spans Kirghiz epic traditions, comparative mythology, and archaic thought, with recent work as an Altman Scholar analyzing thought distinct from mass societies. He teaches courses on Eurasian nomads, Mongol history, and big/deep history, including HST 450/550 on the horse in human history.
Awards include NEH grants, Altman Scholarships, and the Indo-Eurasian Paper Prize. His publications bridge literary translation (e.g., Kökötöy’s Memorial Feast) and scholarly analysis of Central Asian oral traditions, with notable contributions to Penguin Classics, Acta Slavica Iaponica, and Central Asiatic Journal.
Prior’s work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, co-curating the Grass Routes exhibition and contributing to museum artifacts documentation. His advising and grants highlight sustained engagement with nomadic cultures’ historical narratives and material legacies.
