Jamal Jones

Jamal Jones is an Assistant Professor of South Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He holds a BA in Religious Studies (2008) and a PhD in South Asian Languages and Civilizations (2018), both from the University of Chicago.

His research focuses on classical Sanskrit and Telugu literature to explore the history of religion and culture in premodern South India. Current projects include:

• Powers Beyond Words: Ritual, Astrology, and the Politics of Poetry in South India (book manuscript)
• The Nine Masters: an English translation of the 15th-century Telugu epic Navanāthacaritramu, documenting the origins of the Nath yogi tradition.

Dr. Jones’ work bridges literary analysis with religious and cultural history, emphasizing the interplay between ritual, language, and political power in premodern South Asian contexts.