Lars Kirkhusmo Pharo

Lars Kirkhusmo Pharo is a Professor of Religion and Ethics at Nord University since 2018. He holds appointments as Research Associate at Harvard University (2009), Research Partner at Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte (2015), and Affiliated Scholar at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Theology (2017). His research focuses on languages, literacy, semiotics, and the history of ideas in the Americas and Europe, with a particular emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems, applied ethics, and political structures of indigenous peoples.

Pharo's work bridges disciplines including anthropology, religious studies, and historical linguistics. He explores topics such as Mesoamerican calendrical systems, indigenous political philosophies (e.g., the Haudenosaunee Confederacy), and the ethical debates of colonial encounters like the Valladolid Council (1550–1551). His publications analyze concepts of human dignity, missionary translation politics, and the sociopolitical role of ritual practices in pre-Columbian societies.

• Key Research Themes:
  • Indigenous legal and political systems
  • Cultural translation and semiotics
  • Colonial ethics and human rights
  • Mesoamerican ritual and time philosophy
• Recent Publications Trends:
  • Focus on autochthonous Latin American religions (2023)
  • Analysis of indigenous concepts of freedom and governance (2014–2019)
  • Interdisciplinary studies on colonial linguistic and religious policies

His collaborative work includes co-authoring studies on Sami demographics (2023) and contributing to encyclopedic entries on missionary organizations like Wycliffe Bible Translators (2020). While no awards are explicitly listed, his extensive academic network reflects international recognition in his fields.