Lucien van Liere

Lucien van Liere is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Utrecht University's Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. His research examines religious violence through frame analysis, discourse analysis, and material analysis, focusing on the relationship between religious beliefs and conflict dynamics. He investigates how violence emerges and is justified within socio-religious contexts, with emphasis on community-building mechanisms.

Academic background includes theology degrees from Brussels and Leiden, philosophy studies at University of Amsterdam, and a PhD (2006) examining the influence of the Shoah on philosophical thought. From 2000-2007, he lectured at Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat dan Teologi in Jakarta before joining Utrecht University in 2008.

Research explores:

• Religious justification of violence
• Community identity formation
• Material dimensions of conflict
• Perpetrator motivations
• Interfaith relations

As Director of Education (2019-2023), van Liere developed curriculum connecting historical analysis with contemporary religious conflicts. His pedagogical approach emphasizes critical examination of religious narratives and their societal impacts.

Professional service includes editorial roles for Religion and Social Order book series and Nordic Journal of Religion and Society. Current research projects examine weapon symbolism and conflict materiality through interdisciplinary collaboration.