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Hillard von Thiessen is a full Professor of Early Modern History at the Historisches Institut of Universität Rostock, where he has held the chair since Summer Semester 2013. He served as Dean of the Philosophischen Fakultät from Winter Semester 2018/19 to Summer Semester 2022 and was previously acting chair at Universität zu Köln (2007-2012) and Universität Rostock (2012-2013). Currently, he is also a Fellow at the Käte-Hamburger-Kolleg "Einheit und Vielfalt im Recht" at the University of Münster. Professor von Thiessen completed his Magister Artium in 1995 at Freiburg with a thesis on witch hunts in Freiburg (1632-1677), for which he received the Waldseemüllerpreis in 1997. He earned his doctorate in 2001 with research on Capuchin friars as a reform order between confessionalization and everyday culture. In 2007, he completed his habilitation at the University of Bern with a study on cross-border patronage and diplomacy between Spain and the Papal States during Pope Paul V's pontificate (1605-1621). His research focuses on European Early Modern History, particularly international relations, norm competition, corruption and patronage cultures in the pre-modern era, religiosity, and the political culture of Habsburg Spain. His work often employs actor-centered perspectives to examine how individuals navigated complex normative frameworks during the Early Modern period. Recent publications demonstrate his interest in ambiguity as a historical phenomenon and how societies managed competing values and norms. His scholarly output reveals a consistent trajectory examining power structures, diplomatic networks, and cultural frameworks in Early Modern Europe, with particular attention to the intersection of religious, political, and social norms. The publications show increasing sophistication in analyzing how ambiguity functioned as a productive force rather than merely a problem to be solved in Early Modern governance and social relations. Waldseemüllerpreis der Universität Freiburg (1997) Professor von Thiessen has supervised numerous doctoral candidates through his habilitation and professorial positions, though specific student names aren't listed in the available documentation. His research has been supported by prestigious grants including the Gerda-Henkel-Stiftung post-doc fellowship, THEORIA Kurt von Fritz Science Program funding from the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Ministry, and Swiss National Science Foundation support for collaborative research projects. His current research activities are centered at the Historisches Institut of Universität Rostock, with additional collaborative work through the Käte-Hamburger-Kolleg at the University of Münster, where he explores legal frameworks and norm competition in historical perspective. His ongoing monograph project "Das Zeitalter der Ambiguität" represents a significant contribution to understanding how Early Modern societies managed conflicting norms and values.

• European History of Early Modern Period
• International Relations in Early Modern Period
• Norm Competition in Early Modern Period
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Dr. Sebastian Rimestad is a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Religions , University of Leipzig. His work focuses on Orthodox Christianity, religious history of Eastern and Northern Europe, religious conversion, religion and politics in modern societies, and religious minorities in Europe. Current affiliation: University of Leipzig Education: Habilitation (2019), PhD (2011), MA in Religious Studies (2007) and Politics & IR (2004) Research interests include confessional identity formation in 18th-century Poland-Lithuania, religious conversion as political statement, and Russian Orthodox concepts of secularity. His work analyzes how religious identities have been shaped by external authorities and critiques of religious modernity. His scientific awards include the DFG Heisenberg Fellowship and Liselotte Kirchner Scholarship. He has taught courses on religious conversion and published extensively on Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe, Baltic states, and global contexts.

• Orthodox Christianity
• Religious History of Eastern and Northern Europe
• Religious Conversion
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Maximilian Miguel Scholz is Associate Professor of History at Florida State University, specializing in social/religious history of early modern Europe. PhD from Yale University. Research examines how refugees shaped religious transformations during Reformation. Author of Strange Brethren (2022) analyzing refugee impact on Frankfurt's Reformation. Current project investigates migration's role in Prussia's Reformation. Receives funding from American Philosophical Society, DAAD, and Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Teaches courses on Reformation history, Catholicism, and refugee history. Publications appear in Central European History , Archiv für Reformationsgeschichte , and Sixteenth Century Journal . Research grants: American Philosophical Society (2025, 2022) DAAD (2021) Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (2020)

• Early Modern Europe
• Reformation History
• Religious Refugees
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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.

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

Thomas Schlag is Professor of Practical Theology with a focus on Religious Education, Church Theory and Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology, University of Zurich. Since January 1, 2021, he has served as Director of the University Research Priority Program 'Digital Religion(s): Communication, Interaction and Transformation in the Digital Society.' He is also Chairman of the Board of the Center for Church Development (ZKE), which he co-founded in June 2010. Previously, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Theology (2014-2016) and Vice Dean for Teaching (2012-2014). 1965: Born in Stuttgart 1980-1985: Attended Protestant seminaries Maulbronn and Blaubeuren 1986-1993: Studied Protestant Theology and Political Science in Tübingen and Munich 1993-1996: Doctorate at University of Munich 2004-2005: DFG research fellowship at University of Tübingen 2005: Appointed Assistant Professor at University of Zurich 2009: Habilitation at University of Tübingen 2011: Appointed Professor at University of Zurich Professor Schlag's work centers on the intersection of theology, education, and digital transformation. His research examines how religious practices adapt to digital environments, with particular focus on religious education in schools, confirmation work, and church youth programs. He explores theological-anthropological interpretations of digital transformation and investigates the relationship between church, state, and civil society through the lens of 'Public Theology.' His current projects analyze digital media practices in church educational offerings and investigate how churches negotiate digital worship services and sacraments. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on digital religion, with numerous articles examining digital media in confirmation work, religious leadership in digital contexts, and the challenges churches face in adapting to digital transformation. His work spans practical theology, religious education theory, and ecclesiology, with a particular focus on Swiss religious contexts while maintaining international comparative perspectives. The research demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with scholars examining digital innovation in religious contexts. As Director of the University Research Priority Program 'Digital Religion(s),' Professor Schlag leads a significant interdisciplinary research initiative exploring how digital technologies transform religious communication, interaction, and practices. His work has practical implications for church development, religious education, and theological reflection in the digital age. He actively collaborates with international research networks including the European Network for Confirmation Work and the International Academy of Practical Theology.

• Practical Theology
• Religious Education
• Digital Religion
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Walid A. Saleh is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto , holding appointments in both the Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations department and the Department for the Study of Religion . His scholarship focuses on the Qur’an , Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), Islamic apocalyptic literature , and Biblical reception in Islam . PhD from Yale University (2001) Recipient of Mellon New Directions Fellowship (2014) and Konrad Adenauer Fellow (2017) Editor of the Routledge Qur’an Series His research analyzes Quranic chronology , manuscript traditions , and Islamic intellectual history . Recent publications examine periodization in Sunni tafsir, late Ottoman book culture, and the reception of al-Bayḍāwī's Anwar al-tanzīl . Articles explore topics from Quranic death narratives to medieval Islamic cosmology . Key article themes: Quranic identity formation , Islamic manuscript studies , exegetical methodology He has edited critical texts like al-Biqa`i's Bible treatise and serves on editorial boards for the Journal of the American Academy of Religion and Journal of Qur'anic Studies . His teaching includes advanced courses in Arabic paleography and Quranic hermeneutics .

• Qur’ān
• History of Quranic Commentaries (Tafsir)
• Muslim-Jewish Interactions
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Professor Benjamin Ziemann of the University of Sheffield , holds a Ph.D. and Habilitation from German institutions. His research spans Modern German History, with a focus on the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany , labor movements, and anti-nuclear pacifism . He has received grants from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation , British Academy , and others. His work includes a definitive biography of Martin Niemöller , analyzing themes like antisemitism , nationalism , and postwar moral reckoning . He has authored and edited seminal texts such as The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic and co-edits journals like Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft . Research Interests : Social history of German workers in WWI, Weimar/Nazi political culture, religious movements. Teaching : Imperial Germany (1871-1918), Weimar Republic, Gender and Violence in WWI. Supervision : PhD on German army combat, refugee camps in postwar Germany, Catholic discourses on war/peace. Public Engagement : Frequent lecturer in Europe, Japan, USA; media appearances in Deutschlandfunk and rbb Kulturradio .

• Modern German History
• Weimar Republic
• Nazi Germany
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Alexandra Walsham is Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Emmanuel College. She previously held roles as Chair of the Faculty of History (2019-2022) and currently serves as President of the Historical Association. Her academic roots include a PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge, following studies at the University of Melbourne and Exeter University. Her research focuses on religious and cultural history of early modern Britain, particularly the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. Key themes include post-Reformation Catholicism, religious tolerance, providence, miracles, the history of the book, and the relationship between religion and landscape. Her work has been supported by grants from the British Academy, AHRC, and the Leverhulme Trust. Walsham has authored award-winning books like Providence in Early Modern England and The Reformation of the Landscape , and edited volumes on topics such as archives, memory, and confessional history. She has delivered prestigious lectures including the Ford Lectures at Oxford (2018) and the Wiles Lectures at Queen’s University Belfast (2024). Her professional service includes editorial roles for Past and Present and the Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History series. She led the AHRC-funded 'Remembering the Reformation' project (2016-2019) and chairs the Early Modern Section of the British Academy. Awarded a CBE in 2017 and an honorary doctorate from Melbourne in 2023, Walsham’s work bridges academic rigor and public engagement, influencing both scholarly discourse and historical education.

• Early Modern British History
• Religious History
• Cultural History
• +5 more

Ximian Xu (preferred name: Simeon) is a Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge , with a PhD in Systematic Theology from the University of Edinburgh (2020). His research bridges theology with technology, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) ethics, Dutch Neo-Calvinism, Karl Barth, and contextual theology in mainland China. Xu’s work explores the intersection of AI and Christian ethics, the role of Reformed theology in contemporary Chinese Christianity, and the ontological implications of technology on human sustainability. Research Interests Theology and Technology (AI, Surveillance) Dutch Neo-Calvinism (Herman Bavinck) Karl Barth Contextual Theology (Reformed in China) Grants and Organisational Roles He received the CAHSS KE Grant for the workshop "Artificial Intelligence and the Christian Churches" and the Alan Turing Institute Postdoctoral Enrichment Award for research on AI in pastoral care. Xu co-founded the Studies in Dutch Neo-Calvinism Series (Chinese) and is a co-editor for its publications. Publications and Awards His recent works include studies on AI’s moral agency, technomoral futures, and Reformed theological frameworks. Xu’s book The Digitalised Image of God: Artificial Intelligence, Liturgy, and Ethics (2024) addresses AI’s theological challenges. He has contributed to journals like Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith and Modern Theology .

• Theology and Technology
• Systematic Theology
• Dutch Neo-Calvinism
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Professor Rachel Muers is the Chair of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity, a historic position she became the first woman to hold. Her work bridges disciplinary, confessional, and institutional boundaries, focusing on 20th-century Christian theology and contemporary theological responses to urgent societal questions. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2002), where she also served as Margaret Smith Research Fellow. Previously, she held academic roles at the University of Exeter and the University of Leeds, achieving a personal chair in 2018. Her research explores intersections between theology, ethics, and social practice, with notable focus on Quaker theology, environmental stewardship, and ecumenical dialogue. She serves on the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission and is affiliated with organizations like the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics. Her teaching emphasizes practical theology and ethical discernment. Key themes in her scholarship include liturgical practices, pacifism, and the relevance of theology to modern challenges. She advocates for interdisciplinary approaches, integrating anthropology and the social sciences into theological inquiry. Her publications reflect a commitment to actionable theology, addressing issues from climate change to interfaith relations.

• Christian Theology
• History of Theology
• Religious Ethics
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Martin Hägglund is the Birgit Baldwin Professor of Comparative Literature and Humanities at Yale University, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Philosophy. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Cornell University (2011) and Philosophy from Leipzig University (expected 2026). His work bridges Post-Kantian philosophy, critical theory, and modernist literature, with notable books including This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom (2019), which won the René Wellek Prize, and Dying for Time: Proust, Woolf, Nabokov (2012). Research focuses on temporality, mortality, and freedom, engaging thinkers like Heidegger, Marx, and Hegel. His writing explores secular ethics, political Marxism, and the interplay between philosophy and literature. Hägglund has held global appointments, including at Sorbonne University and invited professorships in Bonn and Cornell. Awards include the Guggenheim Fellowship (2018) and Myrdal Grand Prize (2024). Publications span over 60 articles and essays, addressing topics from Kierkegaard’s existentialism to Knausgaard’s secular confession. His current projects include The Mortality of the Soul and I Care, Therefore I Am . Teaching emphasizes Heideggerian thought, narrative temporality, and literary theory. Awards and fellowships include Harvard Society of Fellows membership (2009–2012), Berlin Prize (2024), and multiple honorary distinctions. His interdisciplinary approach unites philosophy, literature, and political theory, influencing debates on secularism, capitalism, and freedom’s material conditions.

• Post-Kantian philosophy
• Phenomenology & Hermeneutics
• Marx & Critical Theory
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Dr. Carys Brown is Head of Academic, Personal, and Professional Development at Trinity College and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge. She holds a BA, PGCE, MPhil, and PhD from the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of both the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Historical Society. Her research centers on the social, cultural, and religious history of late seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Britain, with a focus on religious tolerance, inter-confessional relations, and the history of childhood. She is currently developing a project on children and play in England (c.1660–1780), examining how play intersected with social exclusion based on status, gender, and religion. Her recent publications span monographs, articles, and edited volumes, reflecting interdisciplinary engagement with themes such as auditory religious experience, anti-Catholicism, politeness culture, and religious freedom. Her work often analyzes how religious difference shaped social identity and cultural norms in early modern England. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Fellow of the Royal Historical Society She teaches Part 1A papers in Early Modern Britain and the Global Eighteenth Century and convenes a Sources paper on Children and Childhood in Early Modern England. She welcomes dissertation supervision on British social, cultural, and religious history (c.1660–1800). She is also a member of the AHRC-funded research network 'Anti-Catholicism in British history, 1520-1900' at Newcastle University. Dr. Brown has held previous roles as a Research Fellow at Trinity College, Research Associate on the AHRC-funded 'Faith in the Town' project at the University of Manchester, Bye-Fellow in Study Skills at Girton College, and History teacher at Saffron Walden County High School. She has co-edited volumes and contributed to significant scholarly collections on religious coexistence and freedom.

• Social History
• Cultural History
• Religious History
• +7 more

Amy Moorman Robbins is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Hunter College's School of Arts and Sciences. Her work focuses on modern and contemporary American poetry, particularly avant-garde and experimental poetics, with strong ties to feminist literature and critical theory. Education: PhD, University of California, Riverside (2004) Her research explores intersections between hybrid poetry and mass culture, challenging traditional high/low cultural divides. She analyzes feminist and postmodern frameworks in the works of Gertrude Stein, Laura Mullen, Alice Notley, Harryette Mullen, and Claudia Rankine, emphasizing innovative poetic forms. Recent publications examine experimental poetics across the 20th and 21st centuries, covering topics like Gertrude Stein's genre laws, Harryette Mullen's linguistic race politics, and postmodern witness poetics in Alice Notley's work. These studies highlight affective identification, critical production, and hybrid forms.

• Modern and Contemporary American Poetry
• Avant-garde and Experimental Poetics
• Feminist Literature
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Aysha Hidayatullah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco's College of Arts & Sciences. She teaches undergraduate courses focusing on gender, sexuality, race, ethics, and religious studies within Islamic traditions. PhD, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2009 MA, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2005 BA, Women's Studies and English, Emory University, 2001 Her research explores feminist exegesis of the Qur'an , constructions of gender and sexuality in Islamic traditions , and the body in Islamic ritual practices . She also examines literary representations of Muslims, particularly through feminist theological frameworks and methodologies in Islamic studies. Key themes in her publications include interfaith collaboration , Qur'anic hermeneutics , and gendered narratives in Islamic history . Her work addresses intersections of religion, gender, and race in both historical and contemporary contexts. 2023, Collective Achievement Award, University of San Francisco 2019, James Catiggay Changemaker Award, University of San Francisco 2017, Distinguished Teaching Award, University of San Francisco & Faculty Association 2016-2017, Dean's Scholar Award, College of Arts and Sciences 2015, Ignatian Service Award, University of San Francisco

• Constructions of gender and sexuality in Islamic traditions
• Feminist exegesis of the Qur'an
• The body in Islamic ritual practices
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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.

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