Find Academic Supervisors

Joanna Grela is a Professor at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy at Jagiellonian University (UJ) in Kraków, Poland. She holds habilitation in cultural studies (2016, SWPS University, Warsaw), a doctorate in religious studies (2004, Jagiellonian University), and is a certified Tibetologist (2000, INALCO, Paris). Her academic credentials also include an MA in philosophy (1996, Jagiellonian University) and postgraduate studies in gender (2009, Jagiellonian University). Her educational background includes: 2004: PhD in Humanities in religious studies, Jagiellonian University 2000: Diplôme Unilingue de Langue et Civilization Orientales de Tibétain, Institut National des Langues et Civilizations Orientales (INALCO), Paris 1996: Master of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University 2009: Postgraduate studies in gender, Jagiellonian University Professor Grela's research focuses on Tibetan, Himalayan, and Mongolian cultures, with particular emphasis on pre-Buddhist cults and their contemporary representations in popular culture, societal transformations, Tibetan ethnic and cultural identity, cultural stereotypes, and the comparative anthropology of Buddhism. Her work bridges religious studies, cultural anthropology, and Tibetan studies, examining both historical traditions and their modern adaptations. She has made significant contributions to understanding how traditional Buddhist practices interact with contemporary social contexts, digital technologies, and global cultural flows. Her scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with Tibetan religious culture, Buddhist textual traditions, and the adaptation of Buddhist practices in modern contexts. She has extensively explored the relationship between pre-Buddhist traditions and contemporary religious practices, the role of deities in Tibetan Buddhism, and the transformation of Buddhist thought in different cultural settings including Thailand and Poland. Her more recent work addresses how Buddhism is adapting to digital environments and contemporary social challenges. Her notable achievements include: 2017: Pro Arte Docendi Award from the Rector of Jagiellonian University Multiple teaching awards (2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15) Membership in the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU) Collaboration with the Centre d'Etudes Himalayennes CNRS Professor Grela has led significant research projects including 'The impact of secularization and schooling on socio-religious relations between ritual specialists and the lay community in the Rebkong region' (2018-2020) and 'The Common Buddhist Text Project' (2009-2016). Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to both scholarly research and teaching excellence, with numerous publications spanning academic journals, edited volumes, and encyclopedia entries. She maintains active international collaboration and has presented her research at conferences across Europe and Asia.

• Tibetan Studies
• Buddhist Studies
• Religious Studies
• +6 more

Jakub Zamorski is a researcher at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies within Jagiellonian University , specializing in the history of Buddhist religion and philosophy in China and Japan. His work integrates Buddhist studies with broader East Asian 'history of thought' (思想史), examining how classical Chinese civilization influenced regional traditions. Focus on demythologization of Pure Land Buddhism Investigates Buddhist impact on modern European thought reception (19th-20th c.) Expert in East Asian Buddhist logic (hetu-vidyā/yinming) Zamorski's publications span comparative Buddhist studies, including collaborations on dharmadhatu analysis and translations of early Mahayana texts. He has received prestigious fellowships from Jōdo-shinshū Higashi Honganji and Sheng Yen Education Foundation, and participates in international conferences like International Association of Buddhist Studies and American Academy of Religion. 2020-2023: Collaborator on Japanese government-funded project analyzing Early Mahayana Sutras 2016: Foguang University research on early modern East Asian Buddhist texts 2011: Participant in study of 6th-7th century Chinese Buddhist thought

• History of Buddhist Religion and Philosophy
• East Asian Thought History
• Pure Land Buddhism
• +3 more

Dr. Przemysław Skrzyński is a researcher at Jagiellonian University's Institute of Religious Studies, specializing in Asian religions with a focus on Buddhism and new religious movements inspired by Eastern traditions. His work examines religious acculturation in Western contexts, Buddhist-Christian dialogue, and the intersection of religion with contemporary art and ecology. He holds degrees from Jagiellonian University's Doctoral School of Humanities (Sciences of Culture and Religion program) and has conducted extensive research on historical and contemporary Buddhist communities in Poland. His research also explores methodology for studying religious archives, religious themes in 20th-21st century art, and the status of animals in world religions. Teaches courses on Buddhism at the Institute of Religious Studies and Department of Comparative Civilization Studies Edits academic works including translations of Buddhist texts and interfaith dialogues Active in international academic circles, presenting at conferences like the Glorisun Global Network for Buddhist Studies Recent research focuses on Polish Zen Buddhist communities during the communist era, the political dynamics surrounding religious legalization, and the symbolism of peace movements in post-war Europe.

• Asian Religions
• Buddhism
• New Religious Movements
• +6 more

Dr. Grzegorz Dąbrowski is a lecturer at the University of Wrocław , affiliated with the Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences and Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology . He teaches courses on Anthropology of Music , Zen Buddhism , and Polish Folk Art . His research bridges multiple disciplines: Anthropology of music and soundscapes Cultural studies of the Vilnius region Transcultural aesthetics with focus on East Asian art Polish folk traditions in global context Zen Buddhist philosophy and practice His publications explore intersections between music, religion, and cultural hybridity, with specific attention to Eastern European and East Asian traditions. Recent works examine: 2020: Zen perspectives on sitting practices 2016: Music's adaptive functions in cultural systems 2007: Aesthetic silence in musical contexts 2004: Folk music documentation through Kolberg's work 2000: Rock music mythology in cross-cultural analysis

• Anthropology of Music
• Culture of the Vilnius Region
• Zen Buddhism
• +4 more

Artur Przybysławski is a Professor at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies, Jagiellonian University, specializing in Tibetan, Buddhist, and European philosophy. As a translator fluent in Tibetan, English, and German, he bridges Eastern and Western philosophical traditions while maintaining active teaching and research roles. His academic credentials include a PhD from Jagiellonian University's Faculty of Philosophy (WF UJ) with a dissertation on The Thought of Thales and Heraclitus in the Philosophy of Aristotle, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Heidegger and a habilitation based on his monograph The Buddhist Philosophy of Emptiness . Additional education includes scholarship support from the Foundation for Polish Science (1998). Professor Przybysławski's research centers on Tibetan Buddhist epistemology, Madhyamaka philosophy, and the Kagyu tradition, with significant contributions to understanding Buddhist concepts of emptiness and valid cognition. His work extends to ancient Greek philosophy, rhetoric, and literary theory, demonstrating interdisciplinary connections between Eastern and Western thought. He actively translates Tibetan philosophical texts while exploring modern applications of classical ideas. His publications reveal a sustained focus on Tibetan Buddhist textual analysis and translation, with recent works examining Mahāmudrā practices and historical European philosophy. The 2023 monograph Thales and the Beginnings of European Reflection exemplifies his dual expertise in ancient Greek thought and contemporary philosophical discourse, while his Tibetan translations consistently advance scholarly understanding of Buddhist epistemology. Awarded for both academic and literary achievements: Award in the 2019 Gdańsk Literary Competition for novel Mr. Professor Distinction of the Association of Polish Translators (1999) for Thomas de Quincey's The Last Days of Immanuel Kant Scholarship from the Foundation for Polish Science (1998) He has secured significant research funding including a 2022 international grant (2022-GA-169) for "84000 – Translating the words of the Buddha" and 2017 Karma Guen Foundation support for translating bla ma rgyang 'bod texts at the International Institute of Asian and Tibetan Studies. His popular science books Emptiness is joy (2010) and The world is only mind (2018) have reached wide audiences through multiple translations. Professor Przybysławski collaborates with the International Institute of Asian and Tibetan Studies on translation projects and contributes to the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies' mission of cross-cultural philosophical research, particularly through his leadership in Tibetan Buddhist textual scholarship and European-Tibetan comparative studies.

• Tibetan Buddhist philosophy
• Tibetan culture
• ancient philosophy
• +7 more

Dr. Jarosław Zapart is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies at the Jagiellonian University's Faculty of Philosophy in Kraków, Poland. He has been associated with the university since 2011, was employed in 2015, and attained the position of assistant professor in 2018. His educational background includes: Master's degree in Hindi literature from the Institute of Oriental Philology, Jagiellonian University (2007) PhD in Buddhist philosophy from the Institute of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University (2015) Dr. Zapart is an Indologist and Buddhologist whose research focuses primarily on early literature and philosophy of Mahāyāna Buddhism, with special emphasis on the origins of the tathāgatagarbha concept, its evolution in Indian sources, and its earliest history in China. His second major research area encompasses Hindi Sant thought & literature as well as North Indian Bhakti traditions. He also conducts research on Indian aesthetics and poetics, and the aesthetics of both Indian and Western classical music. His work often examines the intersection of religious thought, philosophical concepts, and cultural practices in the Indian subcontinent, particularly focusing on how religious ideas transform across traditions and historical periods. His scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on Buddhist philosophical concepts, particularly the tathāgatagarbha (Buddha nature) tradition, and the religious movements of North India, especially Sant traditions. His publications reveal a methodological approach that combines textual analysis with historical and philosophical inquiry, often addressing how religious concepts evolve and interact across different traditions. Recent work shows increasing attention to the dynamics of religious patronage, identity formation, and inclusivist strategies in Indian religious communities, with publications examining how groups like the Dādūpanth and Radhasoami sect navigated social and religious landscapes. Dr. Zapart has secured research funding through significant projects including as a contractor in the National Science Centre-funded project "Cultures of Patronage: Writing, Print and Performance in Regional and Imperial Spaces of Communication and Knowledge Circulation in the Indian Subcontinent 1674–1890" (2018-2023), and the Faculty of Philosophy-funded project "Doctrine and Spiritual Practices of the Esoteric Tradition of North Indian Sants in the 18th and 19th Centuries" (2016-2017). His work demonstrates active engagement with international scholarly discourse through presentations at major conferences including the European Association for the Study of Religions and the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy.

• Buddhist Studies
• Indology
• Buddhology
• +7 more

Robert Czyżykowski is an Assistant Professor at the Department of History of Religion, Institute of Religious Studies, Jagiellonian University. His doctoral research (2011) examined corporeality in tantric traditions of northeastern India under Prof. Łukasz Trzciński. He specializes in Indian religions with textual and field research methodologies. Research interests focus on tantric traditions, mystical corporeality, and religious practices in Bengal/Eastern India. Key areas include: Tantric visualization techniques Yogic physiology in Sahajiyā Vaishnavism Historical development of Bengali Tantra Ritual-body relationships Publications analyze ritual transformations, mantra efficacy, and somatic spirituality in Indian traditions, utilizing philological and anthropological approaches. Recent work explores visualization in tantric concentration and declines of Tantric Buddhism in Bengal.

• Religious Studies
• Indian Religions
• Tantra
• +1 more