Find Academic Supervisors

Sanjay SubrahmanyamView profile

Professor

• Early Modern History
• South Asian History
• Indian Ocean History
• +7 more

Sanjay Subrahmanyam is Distinguished Professor of History and Irving & Jean Stone Endowed Chair in Social Sciences at UCLA's Department of History. A globally recognized historian of the early modern period (15th-18th centuries), he previously held prestigious positions at the Collège de France (2013-2021), University of Oxford (2002-2004), and Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris (1995-2002). He founded UCLA's Center for India and South Asia (2005-2011) and maintains significant academic engagement in France through media appearances and lectures. His educational background includes: M.A. in Economics (First Rank with Gold Medal), Delhi School of Economics (1982) Ph.D. in Economic History, Delhi School of Economics (1987) Honorary D.Litt., University of Calcutta (2015) Doctorat honoris causa, Université catholique de Louvain (2017) Subrahmanyam's research revolutionized global historical methodology through his pioneering concept of 'connected histories,' which challenges Eurocentric periodization and emphasizes horizontal connections across regions. His work spans South Asian political culture, Indian Ocean trade networks, Iberian imperial systems, and Mughal court dynamics, consistently integrating multilingual archives and visual sources. He demonstrates exceptional mastery in synthesizing Portuguese, Spanish, Persian, Tamil, and Sanskrit materials to reconstruct non-Western perspectives on early modern globalization. His recent publications reveal intensified focus on transcultural encounters, maritime archaeology, and the material dimensions of empire. Works like Across the Green Sea (2024) and Mirrors of Empire (2026) showcase his shift toward analyzing ego-documents and visual culture to explore identity formation in frontier zones. The consistent thread remains his critique of civilizational boundaries and emphasis on fluid cultural exchanges across the Indian Ocean world. His scientific recognition includes: Infosys Humanities Prize (2012) Dan David Prize for History (2019) Prix International de l'Histoire (2020) Fellowship in American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2009) Corresponding Fellowship in British Academy (2016) Guggenheim Fellowship (2011-12) Subrahmanyam has mentored nine doctoral students to completion, maintaining active collaborations with Muzaffar Alam (University of Chicago), Velcheru Narayana Rao (University of Wisconsin), and David Shulman (Hebrew University). His editorial leadership includes co-editing The Cambridge World History (2015) and serving over a decade as Joint Managing Editor of the Indian Economic and Social History Review . He currently directs major international projects on Indo-Persian travel writing and Mughal intellectual networks. Though not leading a traditional laboratory, he coordinates the 'Connected Histories' research initiative across UCLA, Collège de France, and University of Chicago, fostering interdisciplinary teams examining early modern knowledge circulation. His public engagement includes regular contributions to French media (France 24, France Info) and curated exhibitions like the Codex Casanatense project.

Jennifer EvansView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Early Modern History
• History of Medicine
• Gender History
• +4 more

Dr. Jennifer Evans is a Senior Lecturer in History within the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire. Her academic career spans over a decade since completing her PhD at the University of Exeter in 2011, followed by two years of teaching there before joining Hertfordshire. She serves as the founding editor of the Early Modern Medicine blog and co-directs the Perceptions of Pregnancy research network with colleagues Leanne Calvert, Sarah Fox, and Chelsea Phillips. Her research focuses on the history of the body, medicine, and gender during 1550-1750, with particular emphasis on reproductive health, infertility, and miscarriage. Her scholarly work demonstrates deep engagement with both male and female experiences of health and sexuality in early modern England. Current projects include 'Wounded Wombs and Empty Cradles: Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss in Early Modern England c.1600-1780' (Folger Shakespeare Library, 2025-2026) and 'Foraging for Early Modern Medicines 1600-1750' (AHRC-funded). Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent thematic concentration on bodily experiences, particularly reproductive health across genders. Her work bridges medical history with gender studies, examining how bodily functions and dysfunctions intersected with social structures. The scholarship shows increasing attention to male experiences of reproductive health alongside traditional focus on women's histories, reflecting broader historiographical shifts toward more inclusive medical history. Dr. Evans actively supervises postgraduate students including Kiran Seera (PhD: 'Domestic Disorder: Crime, Kinship, and Space in Bedfordshire, c. 1650-1790') and has completed supervision of three PhD and two MA students. Her research has received substantial external funding including AHRC Early Stage Impact Accelerator Award funding for her foraging project that explores historical medicinal plant knowledge. She directs the Perceptions of Pregnancy researchers' network which has published two major collections and hosted multiple conferences. The network brings together scholars examining all aspects of fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood from the seventeenth to twentieth century. Her public engagement includes numerous media appearances including BBC Radio 4's 'The Food Programme' (February 2024), BBC World Service's 'The Food Chain', and multiple television appearances.

Delphine AllèsView profile

Professor

• Southeast Asia and International Relations
• Global International Relations and Area Studies
• Religion and International Relations
• +5 more

Delphine Allès is a University Professor at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris, France, where she serves as Vice-President responsible for board of directors, organization and resources. She is a leading scholar in International Relations with a focus on Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, and specializes in non-Western approaches to international relations, religion in global politics, and Indo-Pacific security dynamics. Her research interests span multiple interconnected domains: Religion and International Relations Non-Western Approaches to International Relations Diplomacy, Security and Multilateral Cooperation in Southeast Asia (Indonesia / Indo-Pacific) Civilizational Narratives Global International Relations and Area Studies Allès's scholarly work demonstrates a consistent focus on decentralizing International Relations theory through empirical studies of Southeast Asian practices. Her recent publications examine the Indo-Pacific concept, religious diplomacy between Russia and Indonesia, and critiques of Western-centric security frameworks. She has pioneered research on how non-Western civilizations conceptualize international order, particularly through religious frameworks. Professor Allès serves on the editorial boards of multiple prestigious journals including European Journal of East Asian Affairs, Global: Jurnal politik internasional, and Archipel. She is also Scientific manager of the AMI-SHS DECRIPT program focused on crises and civilizational narratives. Her administrative leadership includes membership on the Scientific and Strategic Council of Pôle Asie (MEAE) and the board of the French Political Science Association. Previously, she directed the International Relations department at INALCO (2018-2023) and co-edited the journal Etudes internationales (2021-2024).

Jens WolffView profile

Research Fellow

• Image and Media Theory
• Cultural Hermeneutics
• Figurative Knowledge
• +6 more

PD Dr. Jens Wolff is a German theologian and researcher at the Faculty of Theology, University of Rostock . His work bridges image theory , cultural hermeneutics , and negative theology , with a focus on Lutheran theology and its intersections with literature and art . Education : Studied at Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle/Wittenberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Academic Timeline : 1995–1998 Heidelberg Academy researcher, 1998–2002 assistant at Münster's Faculty, 2003 PhD, 2005 ordained pastor, 2009–2012 DFG project on Sigmund von Birken, 2012–2015 DFG project on Image Theory, 2015 habilitation. Wolff's research explores image and media theory through theological lenses, interrogating figurative knowledge , religious rhetoric , and intercultural hermeneutics . His work connects Baroque literature (e.g., Klopstock, Hamann) with contemporary philological and deconstructive methods , examining tensions between sacralization and secularization . His recent publications analyze the word of God as performative polysemy in Lutheran thought, death and utopia in Stefan Andres' work, and iconic anthropology in Reformation contexts. He co-edited the two-volume Bild und Tod (2016), a foundational text on image-death relations. Awards: Martin-Luther-Preis für den akademischen Nachwuchs (2005) for his dissertation on Metapher und Kreuz . Wolff's advising and collaborative work focus on interdisciplinary image studies , including DFG-funded projects and symposia like the Image and Sound conference (2014). He maintains links to institutions in Bratislava , Frankfurt , and Brazil .

• Sociology of Religion
• Catholic Theology
• Atheism and Nonreligion
• +8 more

Stephen Bullivant is Professorial Research Fellow in Theology and Sociology at the University of Notre Dame Australia (Sydney Campus), School of Philosophy & Theology, and also Professor of Theology and the Sociology of Religion at St Mary's University, London. He holds doctorates from Oxford (Theology) and Warwick (Sociology), and directs the Benedict XVI Centre for Religion and Society at St Mary's. His research spans the sociology of religion, Catholic theology, atheism, nonreligion, and religion’s interaction with science and technology. Key areas include Catholic disaffiliation, secularization, empirical studies of Christianity, and the abuse crisis in the Church. He has published extensively, including major works like Mass Exodus , The Oxford Handbook of Atheism , and The Cambridge History of Atheism . The recent articles reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus on Catholicism, secular trends, and moral theology. They show a consistent methodological blend of empirical data, sociological analysis, and theological reflection, particularly on British and American religious contexts. Topics include youth commitment, liturgical change, conscience, and ecclesial power structures. Fellow, International Society for Science and Religion (2019–) Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2010–) Fellow, Word on Fire Institute (2019–) Co-director, Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network (2008–14) Prof. Bullivant has led and co-led numerous research grants, including major projects funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Arts and Humanities Research Council, and Porticus UK. He supervises research in theology and sociology of religion and collaborates widely across institutions. He is actively engaged in public scholarship, with media contributions in BBC, The Guardian, The New York Times, and EWTN. He is also involved in editorial work for journals such as Secularism and Nonreligion , Antiphon , and the International Journal for Evangelization and Catechetics .

Eleonora CappuccilliView profile

Researcher

• Renaissance
• Early Modern History
• History of Ideas
• +5 more

Eleonora Cappuccilli is a Researcher at the Department of Philosophy, History of Ideas and Art, and Classical Languages at the University of Oslo . Her academic interests focus on English political thought in the early modern period, particularly women's political discourse based on the public sphere , constitutional history , prophecy as a concept , and early modern European political theology . She also explores current feminist theory . Education: PhD in Politics, Institutions and History (2016) from the University of Bologna, MA in International Relations (2012), and BA in International Studies (2009). Experience: Post-doctoral fellow at I Tatti (2022-2023), University of Oslo (2018-2021), Edith Saurer Foundation (2018), and Filippo Burzio Foundation (2018). Her research examines prophetic women in early modern Europe, analyzing their roles in religious reform and political theology . She investigates gender and authority through case studies like Mary Ward, Domenica da Paradiso, and Caterina da Racconigi. Her recent works explore cross-confessional practices , spiritual discipline , and transnational prophetic networks . Her publications span topics from 16th-century prophetic encounters to 17th-century gender conflicts , with a focus on Italian and English Renaissance contexts . She collaborates with scholars like Roberta Ferrari on intersections of feminist theory and Marxist critique , particularly concerning patriarchal structures and social movements . Projects include “Women's prophecy in early modern European religion” , analyzing the subversive expressions of female prophets. Her work appears in journals like Renaissance Studies and edited volumes from Amsterdam University Press and Brill .

Ahmed H. al-RahimView profile

Associate Professor

• Medieval Arabic and Islamic Intellectual History
• History of Arabic Philosophy
• Avicenna's Philosophical Reception
• +5 more

Professor Ahmed H. al-Rahim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University (2009) and previously served as Senior Research Analyst at the U.S. Department of State's Office of Analysis for Near East and South Asia. His research focuses on medieval Arabic intellectual and philosophical history, with special emphasis on Avicenna's reception, Islamic ethics, and the historiography of Arabic philosophy. He currently directs the Islamic Studies program and the Medieval Studies program at UVa. Education: Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Yale University (2009). Research Interests include: Arabic philosophical historiography, medieval Islamic ethics, Qur'anic exegesis, and the role of biography in intellectual tradition. He leads the Einstein Stiftung Berlin-supported project Betwixt and Between: The Historiography of Medieval Arabic Philosophy , challenging Eurocentric periodizations of Islamic thought. Major Awards: Mellon Humanities Fellowship (2019–2020), Henry Luce Foundation Fellowship (2013), and Einstein Stiftung Berlin Fellowship (2022). His publications span monographs like The Creation of Philosophical Tradition (2018) and articles in New Literary History , Curiositas , and The Cambridge History of World Literature . Teaching: Undergraduate courses on Classical/Modern Islam and graduate seminars on Arabic theology, Qur'anic studies, and medieval literary biography. Advises on topics combining philosophy, ethics, and imperial culture.

John Wayne KaufmanView profile

Associate Professor

• Early Christianity
• History of Theology
• Second and Third Centuries
• +7 more

John Wayne Kaufman is an Associate Professor of Early Christian Studies and the History of Theology at MF University College of Theology, Religion and Society. He currently serves as head of the Department of Theology and History and has held various academic leadership roles, including board member and department head. His research focuses on early Christianity (2nd–3rd centuries), with a specialization in Irenaeus of Lyons, emphasizing themes like salvation as deification, historical methodology, and the intersection of theology and history. He teaches courses on early Christianity, the history of theology, and historical methods in theological studies. Education and Academic Background: PhD in Theological History, MF University (2009) Cand.theol., MF University (2001–2003) Cand.philol. in Intellectual History, University of Oslo (1999–2001) Cand.mag. in German, Theology, and Intellectual History, University of Oslo (1995–1998) Research Interests: Kaufman’s work bridges early Christian theology, historical methodology, and the societal context of antiquity. He explores themes such as Irenaeus’ Christology, the development of Christian denominations, and the role of historical studies within theological frameworks. His recent publications address topics like Christian responses to ancient epidemics and the Delphic maxim’s influence on early Christian thought. Professional Contributions: Kaufman has edited volumes on ancient perspectives of love and contributed chapters to international collections. His work often engages with historical relativism and the essence of Christianity, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to theological history.

Michaela ValenteView profile

Associate Professor

• Early Modern European History
• Demonology
• Roman Inquisition
• +4 more

Michaela Valente is an Associate Professor in Early Modern History at the Department of Political Science, Sapienza University of Rome , where she has taught since 2021. Previously, she was Associate Professor at the University of Molise (2005-2021) after postdoctoral work at Salerno. Her research focuses on witchcraft, inquisition practices, religious migrations, and historiographical debates in Early Modern Europe. Her scholarship explores the demonological discourse through works like Charles V (2013) and co-edited volumes on the Roman Inquisition. She has contributed to international research projects including COST Action PIMo (2019-2023) on Mediterranean displacements and PRIN initiatives on Renaissance philosophy. Recent publications analyze transnational religious refugees ( Religious Refugees in the Early Modern World , 2023), gender in exile (2024), and witchcraft's intellectual legacy . Her teaching includes Modern History and Migration History courses, with exam texts emphasizing primary sources and critical historiography. Scientific Awards : Anna Maria Battista Fellowship Fondazione Luigi Firpo Fellow (2000) University of Rome Research Fellow (2001-2003)

Markus FriedrichView profile

Professor

• Religious History
• History of Knowledge
• Archival Culture
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Markus Friedrich is a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Hamburg, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and Department of European History. He leads the 'World Genealogy' research group within the Cluster of Excellence 'Understanding Written Artefacts' (UWA). His roles include Project Lead for initiatives such as 'Buildings, Rooms and Furniture – Material and Spatial Dimensions of Early Modern European Archives' and spokesperson for Research Field E: Archiving Artefacts. His research focuses on religious history as cultural history, the history of knowledge and information as expressions of power, archival culture in early modern Europe, and the history of genealogy. Notable projects include studies on parliamentary shorthand writing, 20th-century archival practices, and the genealogical marketplace of the 18th century. Recent publications explore cross-cultural genealogy, exoticism in 18th-century peripheral regions, and comparative archival histories. His work bridges historical methodologies with material culture analysis, emphasizing transnational and interdisciplinary approaches. Prof. Friedrich collaborates on initiatives like the DFG-funded 'The Gotha' project, aiming to study Europe's most important genealogical reference work. He also organizes conferences and workshops on topics ranging from displaced archives to shorthand manuscripts.

Philip BockholtView profile

Assistant Professor

• Islamic History
• Translation Studies
• Manuscript Studies
• +7 more

Dr. Philip Bockholt is a Junior Professor (Tenure Track) for the History of the Turco-Persian World and Emmy Noether Junior Research Group Leader at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies , University of Münster. His research focuses on the history of the Eastern Islamic World (1400–1800), transregional translation processes, knowledge transfer in the Eastern Mediterranean, manuscript studies, and confessional groups in Islam. He is the principal investigator of the DFG-funded TRANSLAPT Emmy Noether Group (2022–2028) and leads the subproject Arabic-Ottoman Translations of Qurʾānic Exegesis (Tafsīr) within the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2060. 2024: Habilitation in Islamic Studies 2018: PhD, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies 2005–2013: BA/MA in Islamic Studies, History, and Theology (Bochum, Münster, Berlin, Jerusalem, Cairo, Istanbul, Tehran) His research explores intra-Islamic knowledge transfer via Arabic-Persian-Ottoman translations, with a focus on historiography, mirror-of-princes literature, and manuscript variants. He has extensively analyzed the Ḥabīb al-Siyar by Khvāndamīr and its cross-regional dissemination. His recent articles examine textual modifications in Safavid-to-Ottoman translations, multilingualism in Ottoman-Persian contexts, and manuscript annotations as evidence of readership engagement. He co-edited Elsine-i S̱elās̱e: Cultural Analysis of Ottoman Translation (2025) and Multilingualism, Translation, Transfer: Persian in the Ottoman Empire (2024). 2020 Classical Islamic World Book Prize 2019 Annemarie-Schimmel-Stiftung Forschungspreis 2019 S.I.E. European Award Honorable Mention 2015 I.B. Tauris Prize DFG Emmy Noether Funding Bockholt supervises four doctoral candidates on topics including Ottoman Quranic exegesis, biographical dictionaries, and Sufi networks. He has held visiting positions at institutions in Tokyo, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, and St. Petersburg. His teaching includes seminars on Islamic manuscript culture, Ottoman translation processes, and confessional groups in the early modern Islamic world. He is a scientific secretary in the Saxon Academy of Sciences’ Afrika – Asien – Europa commission and organizes international conferences on manuscript transmission and Persian-Ottoman exchange.

Tolga U. EsmerView profile

Associate Professor

• Ottoman History
• Middle Eastern History
• Balkan History
• +15 more

Tolga U. Esmer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at Central European University (CEU), where he has been teaching since 2009. He is affiliated with the Doctoral School of History and the Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies. Prior to joining CEU, he taught Islamic and Ottoman history at Northwestern University and Pennsylvania State University in the United States. MA, University of Washington, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (2000) Ph.D., University of Chicago, Department of History (2009) His research and teaching focus on Ottoman, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Mediterranean history, with thematic interests in comparative empire, the history of everyday life, gender and masculinity, crime, corruption, governance, violence, state-building, social rebellion, Muslim-Christian relations, and the history of emotions. He approaches these themes through an anthropological and interdisciplinary lens, emphasizing socio-cultural dynamics in imperial contexts. The 15 most recent articles in his body of work reflect a consistent engagement with the intersections of violence, sovereignty, and social order in the late Ottoman Empire. His publications span journals such as Past & Present and Comparative Studies in Society and History , covering subfields like banditry, emotional communities, borderlands, property practices, and trans-imperial knowledge networks. A central theme across these works is the re-examination of informal power structures and their role in shaping state-society relations during periods of transformation. He is currently completing a major monograph titled Economies of Violence: Tales of Banditry, Corruption, and Sovereignty in the Late Ottoman Empire (1790s–1820s) , which re-conceptualizes banditry as a politicized phenomenon reflecting broader societal tensions and negotiations of power. Flora Ghazaryan – Confessional Relations in 19th-century Ottoman Constantinople Ahmet Bilaloglu – Trans-Imperial Knowledge Networks (co-supervised) Eda Guclu – Social Practices of Property in Istanbul Scott Michael Rank – Christian-Muslim Polemics in the Ottoman Print Sphere Dr. Esmer has participated in academic events such as 'Emotions and Religious Sentiments across Central and Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean' (2018) and 'Dangerous Gifts & Pernicious Transactions' (2017), reflecting his interdisciplinary reach. While no scientific awards are listed in the provided text, his publication record and supervisory roles indicate an active and influential scholarly profile.

Michael AllanView profile

Associate Professor

• World Literature
• Postcolonial Literature
• Film and Visual Culture
• +6 more

Michael Allan is an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Cinema Studies at the University of Oregon, with affiliations in Arabic and Middle East Studies. He holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and was a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. Education: B.A., Brown University (2000); Ph.D., UC Berkeley (2008). His research bridges textual analysis with social theory, focusing on postcolonial studies, media theory, and the anthropology of secularism. He explores these themes primarily in Africa and the Middle East, integrating methods from anthropology and religion. Key trends across his publications include postcolonial voice dynamics, media ecology, hermeneutics, and intersections of religion, queer theory, and colonial resistance. His work often reimagines traditional literary frameworks through interdisciplinary lenses. Scientific Awards: EUME Fellow (2011-12, 2017-18) Townsend Fellow (2006-07) MLA Prize for a First Book (2016) Allan serves on editorial boards for Comparative Literature , Journal of World Literature , and other journals. He has held leadership roles in the American Comparative Literature Association and Modern Language Association.

Philip BockholtView profile

Assistant Professor

• History of the Eastern Islamic World (1400–1800)
• Transregional Translation Processes
• Islamic Knowledge Transfer
• +6 more

Dr. Philip Bockholt is an Assistant Professor (Juniorprofessor) in the History of the Turko-Persian World at the University of Münster's Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (since 2022). He leads the DFG-funded Emmy Noether Junior Research Group TRANSLAPT , focusing on intra-Islamic knowledge transfer through Arabic-Persian-Ottoman translations (1400–1750). Previously, he held a research position at Leipzig University (2018–2022) and completed his PhD at the Freie Universität Berlin in 2018. His research centers on pre-modern Islamic historiography, manuscript studies, and transregional translation processes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Notable works include World Historiography between Shia and Sunna (2021) and Ein Bestseller der islamischen Vormoderne (2022). He has conducted archival research in 15 countries, including Istanbul, Jerusalem, and Saint Petersburg. Bockholt has secured major grants including DFG funding for German-Japanese textual transmission conferences and a Fritz Thyssen Foundation grant for Texts as Living Objects . He supervises doctoral projects on topics ranging from Ottoman-Turkish Quranic exegesis translations to Safavid Iran's manuscript culture. His awards include the 2020 Classical Islamic World Book Prize and the 2019 Annemarie-Schimmel Research Prize. Current projects include editing volumes on Ottoman Persian translations and hosting international conferences on textual transmission and multilingualism in early modern Eurasia.

Kaarlo ArffmanView profile

Adjunct Professor

• Church History
• Lutheran Reformation
• History of Christianity
• +3 more

Kaarlo Arffman serves as a Docent (Adjunct Professor) and Supervisor for the Doctoral Programme in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Theology, with an active career spanning over two decades through 2022. His institutional affiliation includes significant contributions to doctoral education and research leadership within Nordic theological academia. His research centers on Church History through three interconnected lenses: the role of universities in early Lutheran Reformation doctrine (1517-1521), the critical integration of church history within Reformation theological debates (challenging simplistic sola scriptura interpretations), and the transformative impact of the Reformation on Nordic poor relief systems—culminating in works like Auttamisen vallankumous (Revolution of Relief). He further specializes in Northern Finnish religious history, particularly Kainuu region revivals, and authored Finland's most widely adopted textbook Kristinuskon historia (History of Christianity). Recent publications (2019-2022) reveal sustained focus on Lutheran identity foundations, Reformation legacy reinterpretation, and regional Finnish religious movements. His scholarship consistently corrects traditional narratives, such as demonstrating how church history informed Reformation theology and tracing welfare state origins to Lutheran poor relief innovations. Arffman has supervised 21 doctoral theses and led major research initiatives including the Academy of Finland-funded Spheres of useful knowledge (2011-2015) examining 18th-century Finnish knowledge systems, and participated in the international project Transition and continuity (2008-2011) analyzing Northern European religious-societal transformations (1450-1600).