Find Academic Supervisors

Stephanie M. PridgeonView profile

Associate Professor

• Latin American Literature
• Latin American Film Studies
• Cultural Studies
• +9 more

Stephanie M. Pridgeon is an Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies and Department Chair at Bates College. Her research focuses on 20th- and 21st-century Latin American film and literature, with an emphasis on intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and politics. She holds a Ph.D. from Emory University. Her first book, *Revolutionary Visions: Jewish Life and Politics in Latin American Film* (University of Toronto Press), received Honorable Mention from the LASA Visual Culture Studies section. Her second book, *Absorption Narratives: Jewishness, Blackness, and Indigeneity in the Cultural Imaginary of the Americas*, was published in 2025. Current research includes analyzing visual imagery of the Mexican Revolution in literature. Pridgeon’s scholarship spans diverse topics such as Jewish-Indigenous literary interactions, queer ethnic rite narratives, and documentary film politics. She contributes to public discourse through opinion pieces like her 2024 analysis on Jewish political leadership in North America. Key Expertise: Latin American cinema, cultural hybridity, memory studies, feminist theory, and Marxist analysis. Recent Work: Leading projects on transnational Jewish narratives and post-revolutionary imagery.

Jeanmarie Rouhier-WilloughbyView profile

Professor

• Vernacular Religion
• Russian Rituals and Holidays
• Cognitive Linguistics
• +4 more

Dr. Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby is a Professor of Russian Studies, Folklore, and Linguistics at the University of Kentucky's Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Her research focuses on identity and folklore in contemporary Russia, particularly exploring vernacular religion, urban rituals, and cognitive linguistics. She holds a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of Virginia with minors in Folklore and Linguistics. Her major works include Village Values: Negotiating Identity, Gender and Resistance in Urban Russian Life-Cycle Rituals (2008) and ongoing projects like Sacred Springs in the GULAG , examining Siberian religious practices and Soviet memory. She serves on editorial boards for journals like Folklorica and Sibirskii Filologicheskii Zhurnal , and is affiliated with the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research. Her research interests span Russian/Siberian folk religion, urban rituals, verbal semantics, and cognitive linguistics. She explores how folk practices mediate between Soviet legacies and modern cultural shifts, particularly through sacred sites like Siberian holy springs linked to GULAG histories. Her work highlights negotiations of identity through folklore in post-Soviet spaces.

• Medieval Welsh Law
• Celtic Studies
• Legal Manuscripts
• +3 more

Sara Elin Roberts is an Honorary Professor at Bangor University's School of Language, Culture and the Arts, with a focus on medieval Welsh law and literature. Her academic career involves extensive research into Celtic legal systems, bardic poetry, and historical cultural practices. Role: Honorary Professor Institution: Bangor University School: School of Language, Culture and the Arts Roberts specializes in Medieval Welsh Law , particularly the Legal Triads (collections of triadic legal principles). Her work explores intersections between Welsh and English legal traditions in medieval contexts, women's roles in legal frameworks, and the educational practices of medieval Welsh lawyers . She has also contributed significantly to the study of Dafydd ap Gwilym , a 14th-century Welsh poet, analyzing his debates with contemporaries and their cultural implications. Her publications span 2001–2011, including journal articles, book chapters, and a monograph on the Pomfred Manuscript . Key themes in her research include legal manuscript analysis , oral law traditions , and poetic devices in bardic debates . While no formal awards are listed, her prolific output in peer-reviewed venues underscores her scholarly impact.

Axel MichaelsView profile

Academic

• History of Hinduism
• South Asian Cultural History
• Ritual Theory
• +3 more

Prof. Axel Michaels is a Senior Professor of Classical Indology at the University of Heidelberg, affiliated with the Department of Cultural and Religious History of South Asia. He leads the Cluster of Excellence 'Asia and Europe' and previously directed the Department of Cultural and Religious History (1996-2016). His research focuses on Nepal's cultural and legal history, Hindu ritual theory, and life-cycle rites, with notable works including Nepal: A History from the Earliest Times to the Present (2024) and Homo ritualis (2016). He chairs the von Portheim-Stiftung and founded the Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS). Michaels' research integrates ethnographic, archival, and theoretical approaches to explore ritual dynamics and cultural hybridity in South Asia. Director, Cluster of Excellence 'Asia and Europe' Former Director, Department of Cultural and Religious History (1996-2016) Chairman, von Portheim-Stiftung (since 2020) His research interests bridge historical documentation and contemporary ritual practices, emphasizing Nepal's legal codes (e.g., the 1854 Mulukī Ain) and pre-modern religious texts. Michaels collaborates with global institutions like the Arcadia Foundation on heritage preservation projects. His work challenges Eurocentric historiography through transcultural methodologies, analyzing ritual innovations and their sociopolitical implications in Hindu contexts. Recent publications (2017-2024) highlight interdisciplinary approaches to ritual studies, including emotion in rituals, symbolic systems, and the digitization of cultural heritage. Michaels' advisory roles include the German Research Foundation's Collaborative Research Centre 619 on ritual dynamics (2002-2013). His research extends to Sanskrit manuscripts, legal documents, and oral traditions, reflecting a commitment to preserving and contextualizing South Asian cultural legacies.

Dimitri TsintjilonisView profile

Lecturer

• Death Rituals
• Sacrifice
• Personhood
• +9 more

Dimitri Tsintjilonis is an Honorary Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh. His research spans death rituals, personhood, spirit possession, and cosmological frameworks across Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Greece. Focus on mortuary rites and indigenous ontologies in Tana Toraja, Bali, and Central Sulawesi Current project examining Orthodox Christianity and Devil symbolism in Greece Supervision interests include shamanism, ritual efficacy, and material culture studies His work explores cross-cultural comparisons of death-related cosmologies and everyday practices like cooking, storytelling, and friendship. Key publications include analyses of Torajan mortuary symbolism and Greek narrative structures. Contact: Chrystal Macmillan Building, 15a George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK.

Ivan MarcusView profile

Professor

• Jewish Studies
• Jewish History
• Jewish-Christian Relations
• +3 more

Ivan Marcus is the Frederick P. Rose Professor of History and Professor of Religious Studies at Yale University. He specializes in Jewish history from late antiquity to the early modern period, with focuses on Jewish-Christian relations, the history of childhood, and life cycle rites. Before joining Yale in 1994, he was Professor of Jewish History and Provost at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He has also taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Princeton University. B.A., Yale University M.A., Columbia University M.H.L. and Ph.D., The Jewish Theological Seminary of America His research explores Jewish cultural and religious practices, including medieval Jewish-Christian interactions and the socio-cultural dimensions of Jewish life cycles. Notable works include *The Jewish Life Cycle* (2004) and *Rituals of Childhood* (1996). His scholarship bridges history, religion, and anthropology. Guggenheim Fellowship (1999) National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship (1999) American Academy for Jewish Research Fellow Marcus co-edits *Texts and Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Judaism* and chairs the Publications Committee of the Yale Judaica Series. He has contributed to numerous edited volumes and advises scholarly initiatives in Jewish studies.

Shoham HizkyView profile

Professor

• Cultural Theory
• Anthropological History
• Sociology of Nationalism
• +7 more

Shoham Hizky is a Professor and Head of the Interdisciplinary Program for Hermeneutics and Cultural Studies at Bar-Ilan University , where he has taught since 2014. His research bridges Cultural Theory , Sociology , and Anthropological History , focusing on grassroots cultural processes in Israel and Zionism that arise independently of institutional control. Academic Background : Master's and Doctoral degrees in the integrated track of Bar-Ilan's Hermeneutics and Cultural Studies program (2006). Postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University's Jewish Studies program (2010-2008). His work examines intersections of religion , nationalism , and consumer culture through case studies like Israeli holidays (Purim, Yom Kippur) and lifecycle rituals (Bar/Bat Mitzvah). Recent publications include the 2023 Goldberg Prize -winning book Why Bar and Bat Mitzvah? and analyses of birthdays and the Israeli BBQ as rites of temporality and unofficial nationalism. Scientific Awards : Goldberg Prize (2023) for his book on Bar/Bat Mitzvah Best article award (2019) from the Society for the History of Childhood and Youth Research Leadership : Co-founded the Center for Cultural Sociology (affiliated with Yale) and serves as a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute's Center for Advanced Jewish Studies.

• Pastoral Theology
• Empirical Theology
• Family and Children's Theology
• +7 more

Annemie Dillen is Full Professor in Pastoral and Empirical Theology at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven. As Vice-Dean for Education, she shapes theological pedagogy while advancing empirical approaches to pastoral care. Key research areas: family theology, healthcare chaplaincy, domestic violence, and children's spirituality Editor of interdisciplinary volumes on practical theology and family violence Recent publications analyze: Geriatric patient chaplaincy outcomes (2024-2025) Grace experience measurement (2025) Transnational maternal spirituality (2024) Gender-sensitive pastoral care models (2024) Scientific contributions include: Over 436 publications (15 most recent shown) Leadership in empirical theological methodology Advocacy for context-sensitive religious education As advisor , she has guided doctoral research on: Philippine transnational motherhood (2024) Cenacolo community spirituality (2024) African marriage theology (2024) Belgian healthcare chaplaincy (2024)

• Bulgarian History
• Ethnology
• Cultural Heritage
• +5 more

Borislava Romeova Petrova is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Early-modern and Modern Bulgarian History within the Faculty of History at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo. She holds a PhD and has established herself as a dedicated researcher specializing in Bulgarian cultural history, ethnology, and childhood studies with particular focus on the Sopot region. Her research interests span multiple interconnected fields including Bulgarian history (particularly Early-modern and Modern periods), ethnology, cultural heritage preservation, childhood studies, museum studies, and traditional customs. Her work often examines how cultural traditions evolve across generations, with special attention to rituals, memory, and the lived experiences of children in historical contexts. Dr. Petrova's publications reveal consistent scholarly output from 2015 through 2024, demonstrating her active engagement in academic research. Her work primarily focuses on the intersection of cultural traditions, childhood experiences, and heritage preservation in Bulgarian contexts, particularly in the Sopot region. She frequently publishes in conference proceedings related to ethnology, history, and cultural studies, showing a strong commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that bridge historical scholarship with contemporary cultural analysis. She is currently involved in two significant research projects: 'Възрожденските къщи-музеи – пазители на народната култура' (2025) which examines revival period house-museums as cultural heritage sites, and 'Етнокултурните следи от миналото до днес във Великотърновска епархия' (2024) which conducts multidisciplinary research on cultural traces from past to present in the Veliko Tarnovo diocese, with case studies in Arbanasi and Svishtov.

Angeliki TzanetouView profile

Associate Professor

• Greek Drama
• Greek Political Theory
• Gender Studies
• +3 more

Angeliki Tzanetou is an Associate Professor in the Department of Classics and the European Union Center at the University of Illinois. She holds a B.A. from the University of Athens and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on Greek drama, political theory, gender studies, and religion in antiquity, with a particular emphasis on motherhood and ritual practices. She is the author of City of Suppliants: Tragedy and the Athenian Empire (2012) and co-editor of Finding Persephone: Women’s Rituals in the Ancient Mediterranean (2007) and the Classical World special issue on gender (2016). She currently serves as co-editor of Illinois Classical Studies . Her academic career includes affiliations with interdisciplinary programs, such as the European Union Center, reflecting her interest in cross-cultural exchanges. Key research projects explore maternal absence in Euripidean tragedy and the intersection of political power with religious practices in Athenian drama. Her edited volumes and journal contributions highlight her role in shaping contemporary discourse on ancient gender dynamics and ritual symbolism. Dr. Tzanetou’s work bridges classical scholarship with modern feminist theory, offering nuanced analyses of ancient texts. Her recent publications include editor’s prefaces for Illinois Classical Studies and scholarly essays on topics like Hecuba’s tragic legacy and the ethics of exile in Greek literature. Her editorial leadership ensures the continuation of rigorous classical scholarship while fostering new scholarly voices.

Pam FreseView profile

Professor

• Ritual Studies
• Cultural Anthropology
• US Civil Religion
• +1 more

Pam Frese is Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at The College of Wooster, holding a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (1982). A faculty member since 1986, her research examines Anglo-American life cycle rituals, civil religious holidays, military families, gated communities, and Neopagan religions. She is widely cited in national media including USA Today and CNN. Publications include the edited volume Experiential and Performative Anthropology in the Classroom (2020) and Celebration of Identity: Multiple Voices in American Ritual Performance (1993). Her scholarship bridges symbolic anthropology, gender studies, and experiential pedagogy. Research explores cultural expressions through rituals, space, and performance. Recent articles analyze ethnographic pedagogy, ancestral performance traditions, and intersections between anthropology and theatre.

Sarah CroixView profile

Associate Professor

• Viking Age Archaeology
• Urbanization in Early Medieval Europe
• Mortuary Practices
• +5 more

Sarah Croix is an Associate Professor at Aarhus University's Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies within the School of Culture and Society. Her work focuses on Viking Age archaeology, particularly urbanization processes, mortuary practices, and material culture in early medieval Scandinavia. She has led major projects like the Northern Emporium excavations in Ribe, Denmark, exploring trade networks and urban development. Her research integrates interdisciplinary methods, including geochemical analysis, spatial archaeology, and 3D reconstruction. Key themes include gendered labor in Viking households, ritual performance, and the transition to urbanized societies. She has published extensively on topics such as textile production, burial practices, and trans-regional cultural interactions in Denmark and adjacent regions. Education: PhD in Archaeology (not explicitly dated in text) Major Projects (2010–2025): Northern Emporium, De Dødes By, Inequality & Shared Prosperity, Entrepot Dr. Croix's work emphasizes archaeological methodology innovations, such as high-definition stratigraphic recording and multi-proxy geochemical analysis. Her studies of Ribe’s pre-Christian cemetery and household workshops reveal insights into social organization and technological practices. She critiques traditional Viking narratives, advocating for nuanced understandings of gender roles, mobility, and cultural continuities. Recent investigations include isotopic analyses of human mobility, 3D reconstructions of skeletal remains, and contextual analyses of ritual objects. Her book Den sidste viking - 1066 (2024) reinterprets late Viking Age dynamics. Active in public archaeology, she bridges scholarly research and broader historical discourse.

Nicola McDonaldView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Medieval Literature
• Middle English Romance
• Medieval Women's Cultural Practices
• +5 more

Nicola McDonald is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English and Related Literature at the University of York. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Toronto, and an MPhil and DPhil from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on Middle English romance, medieval women’s cultural practices, and interdisciplinary medieval studies. She co-leads the AHRC-funded 'England’s Immigrants, 1330-1550' project and organizes academic groups like the Medieval Romance Society and Household Research Group. Her research interests include manuscript illumination, gender studies, and crossing disciplinary boundaries. She has supervised PhDs on topics like aristocratic executions, gender in late medieval households, and medieval romance’s intersection with modern popular culture. Her publications explore themes such as cultural audacity in medieval romance, women’s ludic practices, and textual households. Key publications include Thinking Medieval Romance (2018), Resident Aliens in Later Medieval England (2017), and Rites of Passage (2004). Her work bridges literary analysis with historical and social contexts, emphasizing marginalized voices and interdisciplinary methodologies. She actively collaborates on digital initiatives like the Database of Middle English Romance . Her teaching and supervision span medieval literature, gender studies, and interdisciplinary approaches.

• Liturgical Theology
• Liturgical History
• Liturgical Music
• +4 more

Dr. David Pitt serves as Professor of Theology at Loras College, specializing in liturgical history and music. He holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame (2007), an MA in liturgical music from St. John’s University (1998), and a BA from St. Jerome’s University (1997). His work bridges historical liturgical traditions with contemporary Catholic pastoral practice, particularly focusing on adult initiation rites and liturgical music. Education: PhD in Theology (Liturgical Studies), University of Notre Dame, 2007 MA in Liturgical Music (Organ Performance/Composition), St. John’s University, 1998 BA, St. Jerome’s University, 1997 Research interests include the post-Vatican II liturgical reforms, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), and the integration of historical liturgical practices into modern church life. He co-edited a seminal work on liturgical history and pastoral application and has authored over sixty essays on related topics. Publications highlight themes such as sacramental theology, liturgical music composition, and the theological implications of liturgical change. His work emphasizes practical application of scholarly research in parish settings. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Advising activities and grant history are not detailed here.

Syrinx von HeesView profile

Professor

• Mamluk History
• Arabic Literature
• Cultural History
• +5 more

Syrinx von Hees is a Professor of Arabic Literature and Rhetoric at the University of Münster , where she also serves as Managing Director and Vice Dean for Human Resources Development . Her research spans Mamluk history, literature, and art , as well as cultural history and historical anthropology , with a focus on natural history literature and history of science . PhD from Freie Universität Berlin (1999) on Qazwini’s cosmography Habilitation on aging in Mamluk society (2003–2004, Lise-Meitner Stipendium) Her recent publications emphasize Mamluk-era literary and rhetorical traditions , including critical editions of Ibn Nubatah al-Misri’s works and analyses of prophetic praise poetry. She leads major projects like the DFG-funded edition of Ibn Nubatah’s Gesamtwerk (2023–2026) and contributes to EXC 2060 Wahrheitskonkurrenzen (2022–2024). Collaborations with institutions such as Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies and the Orient-Institut Beirut highlight her international engagement. Notable awards include the DAAD Postdoc Stipend (2001–2002), DFG Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Program (2015), and Lise-Meitner Habilitation Stipendium (2003–2004). She has supervised doctorates on topics ranging from genealogical knowledge to rhetoric in Islamic jurisprudence . Her work bridges Arabic literature, rhetoric, and cultural history , offering interdisciplinary insights into medieval Islamic thought.