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Bart WalletView profile

Professor

University of AmsterdamNetherlands

Bart Wallet is Professor of Jewish Studies specializing in Early Modern and Modern Jewish History at the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Humanities, where he is affiliated with the Department of Semitic Languages and Cultures. His academic work focuses on the intricate relationship between Jewish communities and Dutch society throughout history, with particular emphasis on the connections between the Dutch Royal House and Jewish communities. Wallet's research interests span Dutch Jewish history from the early modern period to the contemporary era, with special attention to Yiddish studies, religious history, cultural integration, and the development of Jewish identity in the Netherlands. His scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on how Jewish communities navigated their position as a religious minority within Dutch society, particularly examining the complex dynamics between Jewish citizens and the Dutch state and monarchy. His work often explores the tension between religious tradition and modernization, and how Jewish communities maintained their identity while integrating into broader Dutch society. Analysis of his recent publications shows a strong thematic concentration on Orange-Jewish relations throughout Dutch history, Jewish military service, religious education, and the material culture of Jewish communities. His scholarship demonstrates a methodological approach that combines cultural history with religious studies, often revealing how seemingly mundane aspects of daily life reflect broader societal patterns of integration and identity formation. The geographic focus remains predominantly on the Netherlands, though with comparative perspectives on Jewish communities in other European contexts. Professor Wallet has been active in public scholarship through media appearances, radio programs, and contributions to encyclopedias. His work has appeared in both academic journals and public-facing media outlets, demonstrating his commitment to making Jewish history accessible to broader audiences. He has contributed to numerous radio programs on Jewish history for Dutch Jewish radio stations and has written for newspapers including the Reformatorisch Dagblad. His academic contributions include extensive work on Dutch-Jewish relations, particularly focusing on the relationship between Jewish communities and the Dutch Royal House throughout history. He has also produced significant scholarship on Jewish integration in Dutch society, religious education, and the development of Jewish identity in the Netherlands from the early modern period to the present day. His work often examines how Jewish communities maintained religious traditions while adapting to changing social and political contexts.

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Marsha S. CollinsView profile

Professor

University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States

Marsha S. Collins is a Professor of Comparative Literature and Department Chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She specializes in Early Modern European literature, particularly Spanish literature within its broader European context. Her research focuses on romance forms, literature-visual arts intersections, early modern lyric poetry, and court culture. Education includes a PhD in Romance Languages (Spanish) from Princeton University, an MA in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an AB in Comparative Literature from Smith College. Her research interests span Comparative Literature, Early Modern Studies, Genre Theory, Poetry and Poetics, and Visual Culture. She is currently writing a book titled 'Novel Friendships: Amity and Community in Cervantes’s Don Quijote.' Awarded the John L. Sanders Teaching Award (2000) and prestigious fellowships, her work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary approaches. She teaches courses like 'Global Cervantes' and 'Literature of Pilgrimage.'

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Oliver MooreView profile

Professor

University of GroningenNetherlands

O.J. (Oliver) Moore is a Professor and Chair of Chinese Language & Culture at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Arts. His expertise spans Art History of China, early/modern Chinese history, archaeology, and material culture. He holds a PhD from Cambridge University and has held roles at Leiden University, the British Museum, and Kyoto University. His research integrates historical, technical, and aesthetic aspects of Chinese art and culture, with a focus on photography, printing systems, and classical texts. Education: Studied Chinese at London University (SOAS) and Fudan University (Shanghai), PhD at Cambridge on Tang Dynasty civil service recruitment rituals. Teaching includes modern Chinese language, East Asian art/media, and thesis writing. He supervises PhD projects on Chinese art collecting in the Netherlands and collaborates internationally on courses like 'Chinese Gardens in Europe.' Key publications: Photography in China: Science, Commerce and Communication (2022), translations of Tang-era texts, and studies on Tang art and archaeology. Research emphasizes demystifying Chinese culture through translation and cross-disciplinary approaches. Past roles include Curator at the Netherlands Museum of Ethnology and Visiting Professor at Kyoto University.

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Noga GananyView profile

Associate Professor

University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom

Dr. Noga Ganany serves as University Associate Professor in the Study of Late Imperial China at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge, and holds dual roles as Governing Body Fellow and Director of Studies at Sidney Sussex College. Her scholarship centers on cultural history of Ming-Qing China (1400-1900), specializing in literature, religion, and book history with emphasis on print culture's role in religious practices. Education: PhD, Columbia University (2018) Research Focus: Dr. Ganany investigates the interplay between writing and worship in late-Ming hagiographic literature, examining how commercial publishing reshaped reverence for cultural icons and influenced pilgrimage. Her work extends to conceptualizations of death/afterlife through figures like King Yama, bridging literary analysis, religious studies, and historical context with material culture of the book. Publication Trends: Recent articles (2013-2023) reveal consistent engagement with religious narratives in late imperial China, particularly netherworld journeys, hagiographic texts, and tomb art. Her scholarship demonstrates interdisciplinary methodology combining textual analysis with visual/material sources, highlighting print culture's transformative role in religious practices and icon veneration. Academic Leadership: She actively supervises graduate research in late-imperial Chinese literature and religions, currently guiding Ilay Golan's PhD on overseas sailor religious traditions. Dr. Ganany organizes two major sponsored lecture series: 'Book Culture in Buddhism and Beyond' (Glorisun Global Buddhist Network) and the 'Yin-Cheng Distinguished Lecture Series on Buddhism' (Tzu Chi Foundation), fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue in Buddhist studies.

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Emma BondView profile

Professor

University of St AndrewsUnited Kingdom

Dr Emma Bond is a Professor at the School of Modern Languages , University of St Andrews. Her work focuses on transnational literature and visual cultures , particularly the circulation of migration narratives, cultural artifacts, and colonial legacies. Key Affiliations : Academic Lead, Recollecting Empire Exhibition (2022); Co-editor, Transnational Italian Cultures series; Section Editor, Modern Languages Open . Research Themes : Migration, material culture, body studies, psychoanalytic theory, and decolonization in literature and museums. Scientific Awards : Philip Leverhulme Prize (2019), Associate Senior Fellow (2021), Sugaropolis Award (2015). Projects : Research Leave (2020-2022) for Curating Worlds ; Transnational Scotland Network (2019); Carnegie Trust-funded migration study (2017).

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Przemysław KordosView profile

Professor

University of WarsawPoland

Przemysław Kordos is a Professor at the University of Warsaw , affiliated with the Faculty of Liberal Arts , where he serves as Coordinator for the Development of the Modern Greek Philology Program . He holds two PhDs in Humanities (2007, 2019) and was awarded the Loukis Papaphilippou Seat of Advancement in Modern Greek scholarship. Education: MA in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology (University of Warsaw, 2001) MS in Sociology (University of Warsaw, 2002) PhD in Humanities (University of Warsaw, 2007) Second PhD in Humanities (University of Warsaw, 2019) His research interests span: Contemporary Modern Greek and Cypriot literature Polish-Greek cultural relations (philhellenism) Social and ethnographic issues in Greece and Cyprus Travel literature analysis Fantasy literature's cultural implications His scientific work reveals a focus on linguistic assimilation in foreign language learning (via fMRI studies), historical parallels between Polish and Greek independence movements, and critical analyses of Cypriot folk culture's politicization. Key scientific awards include: Loukis Papaphilippou Seat (University of Warsaw) Internships at EKPA and IKY (Greece) Scholarships at IMXA (Greece) and MUNI (Czech Republic) His academic contributions include cataloging 60+ Polish travel accounts to Greece, analyzing the shift from travel literature to tourism discourse, and examining the Hellene-Romios dichotomy's role in modern Greek identity construction.

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Rebecca RainofView profile

Lecturer

University of California, BerkeleyUnited States

Dr. Rebecca Rainof is a Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Researcher. Her research focuses on Victorian and Modernist literature, interdisciplinary studies of literature and visual arts, and gender studies. She has held positions at Princeton University and the Catholic University of America. Her work explores topics such as midlife narratives in Victorian novels, Van Gogh’s engagement with Victorian literature, and Japanese American incarceration through familial memory. Her book The Victorian Novel of Adulthood (2015) examines alternative novelistic traditions. Her recent research includes contributions to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s 2022 exhibition Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and his Sources . She has published on George Eliot, Woolf, and the intersections of art and literature. Her writings on her mother’s experience during WWII Japanese American incarceration appear in Hyphen: Asian America Unabridged and Literary Imagination . Rainof’s grants and fellowships include the Princeton Mellon Fellowship (2018) and the Curran Fellowship (2015). Her teaching and writing emphasize creative nonfiction, feminist literary theory, and pedagogical innovation. Her current projects include a book manuscript on Van Gogh’s literary adaptations and a family memoir rooted in Heart Mountain’s history.

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Anna BigelowView profile

Associate Professor

Stanford UniversityUnited States

Anna Bigelow is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at Stanford University. Her research focuses on Islamic Studies, South Asian and Middle Eastern Religions, emphasizing material culture and sacred spaces. She holds a BA from Smith College, MA from Columbia University, and PhD from UC Santa Barbara. Current projects include a comparative study of shared sacred sites in India and Turkey, exploring secularism's intersection with religious practices. Her notable works include Sharing the Sacred: Practicing Pluralism in Muslim North India (2010) and Islam through Objects (2021). She co-edited a special issue on Material Islam for the journal MAVCOR . Her research has been supported by the Carnegie Scholars Program and the Social Science Research Council. Bigelow advises graduate students on contemporary topics like Muslim minority populations, sacred space, and secularism. She emphasizes interdisciplinary methods combining ethnography, archival work, and cultural analysis. She collaborates with the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies and the Center for South Asia at Stanford. Her articles analyze themes such as material religion, Sufi shrines, and postcolonial identities. She actively critiques the academic job market’s challenges, advising applicants to consider program fit and financial realities.

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Hugh N KennedyView profile

Professor

SOAS University of LondonUnited Kingdom

Professor Hugh N Kennedy is a distinguished academic at SOAS University of London, holding dual affiliations with the School of History, Religions and Philosophies and the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. As a Professor of Arabic, he specializes in Early Islamic History (600-1100 CE), with particular focus on Arabic historiography, Islamic archaeology, and the historical geography of the Middle East. His research also examines castle building in the region and the history of al-Andalus. He holds a PhD (Cantab) and has supervised doctoral candidates including Ummugulsum Kurukol and Zhicheng Ye. His publications span authored books, edited volumes, and numerous articles exploring topics like the Abbasid Caliphate, Islamic economic systems, and comparative political histories. He is based at the Russell Square campus and can be contacted via hk1@soas.ac.uk. Research Interests: Kennedy’s work bridges textual analysis and material culture, investigating how political structures, military campaigns, and cultural exchanges shaped the early Islamic world. He examines themes such as the evolution of governance systems, the role of pilgrimage economies, and the interaction between religious and temporal authority. His scholarship frequently engages with primary sources like al-Baladhuri’s Futuh al-Buldan and Ibn Wāḍiḥ al-Yaʿqūbī’s writings, contextualizing them within broader historical narratives. Key Publications: Includes seminal works on the Abbasid Caliphate, the conquests of the Arab armies, and comparative analyses between Islamic and Byzantine governance. Teaching: Contributes to SOAS’s MA History program, focusing on the Global South through decolonial and interdisciplinary approaches. Professional Affiliations: Active in academic networks promoting the study of pre-modern Middle Eastern history and cultural heritage.

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Robert FranceView profile

Associate Professor

Dalhousie UniversityCanada

Robert France is an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University's Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, part of the Faculty of Agriculture. He focuses on watershed management, environmental restoration, and the intersection of ecology with urban planning. His research spans aquatic ecosystems, land-use impacts, and climate change adaptation. He has authored numerous books and articles on topics like wetland design, restoration ecology, and the socio-cultural dimensions of environmental ethics. France has held positions at Harvard University and consulted globally on projects such as the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s master plans and Taiwan’s Aogu Ecotourism Park. His work emphasizes integrating ecological principles with human-centric design to address environmental challenges. Education: PhD in Ecotoxicology (University of Toronto), MSc in Zoology (University of Manitoba), BSc (First Class Honours, University of Manitoba) Research interests include riparian forestry impacts, urbanization effects on aquatic systems, and the ethical dimensions of environmental stewardship. He has pioneered studies on crayfish ecology, lake acidification, and stable isotope analysis to trace ecological interactions. Key contributions include books like Environmental Restoration and Design for Recreation and Ecotourism and edited volumes on regenerative landscape design. His recent work explores cryptozoological interpretations as historical indicators of environmental issues, linking folklore to ecological change. France has organized international conferences on watershed technology and urban agriculture, and his consultancy work spans North America, the Middle East, and Asia. He is a Series Editor for CRC Press' environmental series and a retained advisor for Cambridge, Massachusetts' stormwater management.

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Charles H. ArndtView profile

Associate Professor

Vassar CollegeUnited States

Charles H. Arndt is an Associate Professor of Russian Studies at Vassar College, specializing in 19th-century Russian literature and religious themes. He joined the institution in 2012 and holds a PhD from Brown University (2004), where his dissertation focused on Dostoevsky’s engagement with Russian intellectuals. His research explores religious wandering in Dostoevsky’s works, sacred geographies in Russian literature and press, and Orthodox Christian influences on fiction. He has published extensively, including a 2024 monograph on wanderer-pilgrims and co-authored articles on literary and cultural history. Arndt teaches courses such as Elementary Russian , Dostoevsky and Psychology , and Vampires, Monks, and Holy Fools , integrating music through a department band, Listopad. His academic career includes supervising student research projects and contributing to programs like Global Nineteenth-Century Studies. Notable publications analyze religious motifs in works by Dostoevsky, Leskov, and others, emphasizing the intersection of faith, culture, and identity in Russian literary tradition. Arndt’s work bridges literary analysis with historical and cultural contexts, offering insights into how Russian authors reinterpreted Orthodox heritage. His courses and writings highlight themes of pilgrimage, mythmaking, and the mystical, reflecting his dedication to deepening understanding of Russian intellectual history.

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Nabil MatarView profile

Professor

University of Minnesota Twin CitiesUnited States

Nabil Matar is a Professor at the University of Minnesota, holding the Presidential Professorship in the President’s Interdisciplinary Initiative on Arts and Humanities and the Samuel Russell Chair in the Humanities. He teaches in both the English and History departments and contributes to the Religious Studies Program. Educated at the American University of Beirut (B.A., M.A.) and Cambridge University (Ph.D., 1976) Former Department Head at Florida Institute of Technology (1997-2007) Recipient of postdoctoral grants from the British Council and Fulbright His research focuses on early modern Euro-Islamic interactions , particularly examining Arab-European travel literature, captivity narratives, and religious exchanges. He has authored a foundational trilogy on Islam in Britain and comparative studies on Mediterranean encounters. Key publication trends include Anglo-Ottoman relations , cross-cultural identity formation , and premodern globalization , with works spanning from 1998 to 2018. His scholarship bridges religious studies , literary analysis , and cultural history . Building Bridges award (University of Cambridge, 2012) Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences Award (2017) Matar has secured major grants including a National Endowment for the Humanities Conference on 'Shared Cultural Spaces' and has contributed to curricular development in religious and interdisciplinary studies.

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Aaron GhiloniView profile

Research Fellow

University of QueenslandAustralia

Dr. Aaron Ghiloni serves as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Religious Studies at the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, at The University of Queensland. He is the author of Islam as Education: Pedagogies of Pilgrimage, Prophecy, and Jihad (2019) and John Dewey among the Theologians (2012), and editor of World Religions and their Missions (2015, 2nd ed. 2022). He also serves as Associate Editor for the journal Religious Education . Dr. Ghiloni earned his Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Queensland. His educational background forms the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach that bridges philosophy, theology, and educational theory. Dr. Ghiloni's research focuses on the intersection of religion and education, with particular expertise in Islam, Christianity, and interreligious studies. His work explores how John Dewey's pragmatist philosophy can inform religious education and interfaith dialogue. He examines educational approaches to supernaturalism, religious formation, and the role of religion in democratic societies. His scholarship addresses critical questions about how religious traditions can be taught respectfully in pluralistic contexts while maintaining academic rigor. Dr. Ghiloni's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on religious education from multiple perspectives. His work bridges theological inquiry with educational theory, particularly through the lens of John Dewey's pragmatism. Recent publications emphasize interfaith education, comparative approaches to religious missions, and the challenges of teaching religion in pluralistic societies. His research shows an evolving trajectory from examining specific religious traditions to broader questions about religious education methodology and philosophy. Dr. Ghiloni actively supervises doctoral students working in religion and culture. He has served as Associate Advisor for at least one completed PhD dissertation on Wide-Awake In God's World: Bible Engagement For Teenage Spiritual Formation In A Culture Of Expressive Individualism (2018). His teaching portfolio at UQ includes subjects such as History of the Supernatural , Belief and Unbelief , World Religions , Spirituality in the Everyday , and Western Religious Thought from the Middle Ages to the Present .

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Hugh KennedyView profile

Professor

SOAS University of LondonUnited Kingdom

Hugh Kennedy , Professor at SOAS University of London within the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, is a leading scholar in early Islamic history. His research spans political structures, military systems, and cultural transitions in the Islamic world. Fields of Interest : Early Islamic History, Abbasid Caliphate, Sacred Space, Historical Geography, Islamic Law. Research Trends : His work explores the evolution of Islamic political terminology, frontier interactions, and the socioeconomic impacts of Muslim rule. He has published extensively on the Ḥajj, urban development, and manuscript production in the Abbasid era. Supervised Theses : Tanaka (zandaqah), Ye (ʿAbbāsid mysticism), Habib (sacred space), Khatun (trade networks), Manstetten (madrasa origins), Lodhi (hijra law), Webb (Arab origins).

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Janet GyatsoView profile

Professor

Harvard UniversityUnited States

Janet Gyatso is the Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), affiliated with Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She holds academic ties to the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations and the Committee on Inner Asian and Altaic Studies. Her research focuses on Tibetan and South Asian cultural/intellectual history, Buddhist epistemology, gender studies, and the intersection of religion and medicine. Dr. Gyatso earned her BA, MA, and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She previously taught at Amherst College before joining HDS in 2014 as Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs (until June 2024). Her major works include Being Human in a Buddhist World (2015) and Women in Tibet (2006), exploring themes like early modern Tibetan medicine and Buddhist gender dynamics. Her current research addresses ethical relationships with animals and Buddhist ministerial training. She has held leadership roles, including president of the International Association of Tibetan Studies (2000–2006) and co-chair of the American Academy of Religion's Buddhism Section (2004–2010). She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018. Gyatso's teaching spans Buddhist history, ritual, and Tibetan literary practices. She actively develops programs like the Buddhist Lay Ministry Initiative at HDS, blending academic rigor with practical ministry training.

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