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Dr. Mukesh Kumar serves as a lecturer and Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) senior fellow at the University of Zurich, conducting interdisciplinary research at the intersection of history and anthropology. His work centers on socio-cultural, economic, and religious encounters between diverse traditions in South Asia, with particular emphasis on syncretic practices and marginalized communities. His educational background includes: PhD from the University of Technology in Sydney (2019) Dr. Kumar's research explores South Asian Religions, Religious Conversion, Devotional Hinduism, Social Mobility, Caste and Music, Yoga, Tantra, and Sacred Spaces. He investigates how religious practices dynamically interact with caste structures, economic systems, and cultural exchanges, revealing complex identity formations through ethnographic and historical analysis of syncretic traditions. His publication record demonstrates consistent focus on Hindu-Muslim relations, religious conversion, and sacred geography across historical and contemporary contexts. Recent works examine the Laldas tradition, Basel Mission impacts on lower-caste communities, urban religious orders, and digital democracy, reflecting methodological diversity spanning archival research, ethnography, and textual analysis. His research has been recognized through prestigious awards: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship (2019-21) ETH Zurich Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2021-23) Swiss National Science Foundation Senior Fellowship (2024-28) As principal investigator of the SNF-Project "Caste Religion and Social Mobility in India," Dr. Kumar leads contemporary research on religious and social dynamics while contributing to academic discourse through his monograph Between Muslim Pīr and Hindu Saint (Cambridge University Press, 2024) and numerous journal articles. His current research trajectory involves two book projects examining Billava communities and the Sant Rampal order in Delhi, advancing understanding of religious pluralism within India's evolving social landscape.

• South Asian Religions
• Religious Conversion
• Devotional Hinduism
• +5 more

Valentina Calzolari Bouvier is Full Professor of Armenian Studies at the University of Geneva , holding the first and only Armenian Studies chair in Switzerland. She directs Bachelor's and Master's programs in Armenian Studies (ancient and modern) and doctoral training, while serving as President of the International Association for Armenian Studies and a corresponding member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres . Key affiliations: Pembroke College (Oxford), Hebrew University, École Pratique des Hautes Études Current research: Christian apocrypha in Armenian, Greco-Armenian philosophical transmission, Soviet-era Armenian literature Her recent publications focus on Armenian apocryphal texts (2022's The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles in Armenian ), medieval Armenian historiography, and Armenian diaspora literature. She co-directs the LABEAC research laboratory on Central Europe-Orient and Central Asia, and has received the Movses Khorenatsi Medal (2023) and honorary doctorate from Armenia (2007). Scientific distinctions include: Movses Khorenatsi Medal (2023) Accademia Ambrosiana membership (2010) Honorary Diploma from Republic of Armenia (2012) Leverhulme Visiting Professor (Oxford, 2021-2023)

• Armenian Studies
• Christian Apocrypha
• Late Antique Philosophy
• +4 more

Dr. Daniel Allemann is a Senior Teaching and Research Fellow at the Department of History, University of Lucerne, specializing in late medieval and early modern periods within global contexts. He studied History and Anglophone Literature & Linguistics at the University of Basel, earned an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History at the University of Cambridge, and completed his PhD there. His dissertation (2020) was awarded the best in the Faculty of History at Cambridge. Current projects include a 2024 monograph on slavery, power, and rights in the early modern Iberian world. Ongoing habilitation project on human diversity and alterity in Europe north of the Alps (13th–15th centuries). Research on Andean indigenous political ideas and their Enlightenment Europe reception. His research intersects legal history, colonial history, and intellectual history, with a focus on natural law, empire ideologies, and intercultural exchanges. Recent publications analyze the School of Salamanca's influence on colonial legal thought and the historiography of indigenous Andean societies. Scientific awards include the Cambridge Faculty of History's Best Dissertation Prize (2020). He co-founded the Interventions: The Intellectual History Podcast and writes a monthly column for SonntagsBlick , connecting historical insights to contemporary issues. He also served on the editorial board of traverse: Zeitschrift für Geschichte – Revue d’histoire , fostering academic dialogue between German- and French-speaking Switzerland.

• Medieval History
• Early Modern History
• Global History
• +5 more

Nicolas Meylan is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Lausanne's Faculty of Theology and Sciences of Religions, specializing in the history of religions with a focus on medieval Iceland and Old Norse literature. His research integrates theories of discourse analysis, religious historiography, and the conceptual evolution of 'mana' in Western thought. Doctorate in History of Religion, University of Chicago Divinity School (2010) Licence ès sciences des religions, Université de Lausanne (2003) His research spans religious history of Iceland (12th-14th centuries) , discourse analysis in medieval texts , and theoretical frameworks in the study of religion . Notable trends include the role of magic as a political resistance tool, the reinterpretation of land spirits post-conversion, and cross-cultural analysis of mana. Recent publications emphasize theoretical rigor and medieval Scandinavian socio-political dynamics . While he has no listed awards, his work bridges Norse mythology , religious epistemology , and critical historiography .

• Theories and historiography of the history of religions
• Religious history of Iceland (12th-14th centuries)
• Old Norse literature and language
• +5 more

Alice Aterianus-Owanga is an Assistant Professor in Anthropology at the University of Neuchâtel's Institute of Ethnology. Her work focuses on cultural practices in postcolonial societies, particularly through music and dance in Gabon, Senegal, and South Africa. She leads FNS-funded research on digital music scenes in Central Africa and collaborates on journal editorial boards and academic collections. Current projects: FNS Division 1 grant (2024-2028) Past fellowships: Marie Skłodowska-Curie (2021-2023), SNSF Ambizione (2017-2020) Her research spans three primary domains: Music and politics in Gabon's rap scenes Transnational Senegalese dance circuits between Europe and Africa Afro-Latin dance and racial/gender boundaries in Cape Town Scientific contributions include: Académie Charles Cros 'Coup de coeur' Prize (2018) Co-editor of the 'Ethnoscope' academic collection Director of four ethnographic documentaries She supervises PhD students in collaborative ethnographic approaches to African cultural production and teaches across bachelor's and master's programs in ethnology and ethnomusicology.

• Anthropology of Popular Music
• Hip-Hop/Rap Studies
• Postcolonial Societies
• +10 more

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jan Rüggemeier holds dual academic appointments as a Researcher at the University of Bern's Institute for New Testament Studies (since 2021) and as Junior Professor for New Testament at the University of Bonn's Protestant Theological Faculty (appointed 2021). His academic trajectory includes positions as Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich (2018-2020) and Postdoctoral Researcher at Bern. His theological education includes studies at Heidelberg, Tübingen, and Oxford, culminating in a First Theological Exam (2007). Research interests focus on methodological innovations in biblical interpretation: Cognitive-narratological approaches to New Testament texts, particularly Markan Christology Application of spatial theory (Raumkonzeption) to Pauline literature Social history reconstructions of early Christian communities in urban contexts Interdisciplinary integration of hermeneutics, narratology, and exegetical practice Publications demonstrate consistent focus on narrative methodology applied to New Testament texts, with recent works emphasizing cognitive frameworks (2019-2021), spatial analysis (2018-2020), and social-historical reconstructions of early Christianity. Article themes evolved from foundational methodological studies (2017) toward applications in Markan theology, Pauline networks, and Hellenistic urban contexts. Awards and grants include: Postdoc Forschungskredit (University of Zurich, 2020) Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise (2019) Armin Schmitt Award for Biblical Studies (2017) German Academic Scholarship (2003-2007) Professional memberships include the Zurich Center for the Ancient World, Society of Biblical Literature, and European Narratology Network. He co-directs research projects on cognitive linguistics and New Testament narrative, having organized international conferences including the St. Andrews-Zurich Seminar on biblical canons (2019).

• Methods of Exegesis and Hermeneutics
• Narratology
• Gospel of Mark
• +2 more

Beth Singler is Assistant Professor of Digital Religion(s) at the University of Zurich, where she serves as Co-Director of the URPP Digital Religion(s) and Principal Investigator for the project "Post-AI Religion and Religious AI: Reciprocal Disruption and Futures." Previously, she was a Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, and worked on the Templeton-funded project "Human Identity in an Age of Nearly Human Machines" at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. Co-Director, URPP Digital Religion(s), University of Zurich (2025-) Principal Investigator, "Post-AI Religion" Project (2025-) Co-Lead, Media Existential Encounters and Evolving Technology Lab (2023-) Assistant Professor in Digital Religion(s), University of Zurich (2022-) Director of Studies, Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, University of Cambridge (2020-2022) Her research examines the social, ethical, philosophical, and religious implications of advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. Singler employs cultural and digital anthropological methods to explore how religions respond to AI through rejection, adoption, and adaptation frameworks. Her work demonstrates the entanglements of religion and AI, analyzing our imaginaries of these technologies and ideas about their utopian or dystopian futures. She has produced several documentaries, including the award-winning "Pain in the Machine" (2017 AHRC Best Research Film of the Year). Her recent publications reveal a clear focus on AI's relationship with religious traditions, examining how established religions understand creation within AI contexts and how secular groups interpret AI as a tool for liberation. The articles show increasing attention to post-AI religious formations, existential conversations with AI systems, and the material dimensions of digital religious practices. Her work bridges theoretical analysis with empirical studies of online religious communities and their engagement with emerging technologies. AHRC Best Research Film of the Year Award (2017) Digital Religion Research Award (2021) Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion Singler serves on multiple advisory boards including the AAR AI and Religion Unit, the Human Augmentation Research Network, and advisory boards for Templeton-funded projects on biohacking and spiritual yearning. She leads the MEEET Lab at UZH, which investigates media, existential encounters, and evolving technology. Her public engagement includes documentary production and participation in global networks like AI and Faith.

• Digital Religion
• Artificial Intelligence
• AI Ethics
• +7 more

Marta Dominguez Diaz is a Part-time Lecturer at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS-HSG) of the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. Her research focuses on the Anthropology of Islam, Study of Religion, and Transnational Islam, with particular attention to North African contexts. She explores themes such as Sufi orders, gender dynamics in religious practices, and the intersection of historical memory with contemporary religious identity formation. Her work examines transnational religious movements, cultural hybridity, and the visibility of Muslim communities in Europe. Key areas include Moroccan female religious agency, the evolution of Sufi traditions in global contexts, and diaspora narratives among Morisco descendants. She has contributed to debates on Islamophobia and the role of religious practices in shaping identity, particularly in border regions between Spain and Morocco. Martí’s publications analyze historical and contemporary issues such as domestic slavery in Tetouan, the reinterpretation of Sufi rituals in Western Europe, and the cultural politics of religious visibility. Her research bridges anthropology, history, and sociology, offering critical insights into the lived experiences of Muslim communities in transnational and local contexts.

• Anthropology of Islam
• Study of Religion
• Transnational Islam
• +4 more

Yvan DROZ is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology and Sociology, primarily affiliated with the Geneva University Institute of Development Studies (IUED). He has held academic roles such as Associate Professor at Université Laval (Québec) and has served as Deputy Director of Research at IUED. His research focuses on religion, migration, rural development, and identity politics, with a geographic emphasis on Africa, Eastern Africa, Western America, and South Europe. Educations: Doctorat ès Lettres et Sciences humaines (Ethnologie) from the University of Geneva. Extensive postdoctoral research in anthropology and sociology. Research Expertise: Themes include religious mobility, agricultural policies, urban-rural dynamics, and gender studies. His fieldwork spans Kenya, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Switzerland. Key contributions explore Pentecostalism in Kenya, family enterprises in rural areas, and ethical dimensions of development policies. Key Projects: Includes leadership in interdisciplinary studies on agricultural policies (Switzerland-France-Québec), gender dynamics in agriculture, and religious tribalism. Current projects focus on family transformations in East Africa and self-accomplishment in Eastern African contexts. Affiliations: Membreships include editorial boards of Recherches Familiales and Cahiers d’Études Africaines , and evaluation committees for Swiss National Science Foundation grants.

• Religion & Politics
• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Urban & Rural Studies
• +7 more

Professor René Pahud de Mortanges is a Full Professor of Legal History and Canon Law at the University of Fribourg. He serves as Director of the Institute for Religious Law and acts as a legal advisor to Swiss state authorities and religious communities. His editorial work includes the Fribourg Publications on Religious Law and the Swiss Yearbook of Canon Law . Research Interests: His work focuses on the intersection of state and religious communities, particularly examining legal frameworks for religious freedom, church-state relations, and the adaptation of religious institutions to modern secular and legal challenges. This includes studies on civil marriage laws, hospital chaplaincy regulations, and church conversions. Scientific Awards: Corresponding Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences Member, Scientific Advisory Board, European Institute for Intercultural and Interreligious Research (2007–2011) Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Research Center for European Legal and Regional History, University of St. Gallen

• Legal History
• Canon Law
• Religious Law
• +3 more

Regine Munz is a Lecturer (Private lecturer) at the Department of Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Basel. Her academic position is situated within the Department of Theology at the University of Basel, a prominent institution for theological studies in Switzerland. Dr. Munz's research focuses on the intersection of psychoanalysis and theology, examining how psychological theories inform religious experience and pastoral practice. Her work explores themes of shame, religious revolt, and the emotional dimensions of faith. She has made significant contributions to understanding how psychoanalytic concepts can enrich theological reflection, particularly in pastoral contexts. Her research demonstrates a deep engagement with both classical theological texts and contemporary philosophical thought. Analysis of her most recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory exploring the relationship between psychological processes and religious experience. Her work spans biblical interpretation, philosophical theology, and practical pastoral care, with particular emphasis on emotional dimensions of religious life. She frequently examines how concepts from psychoanalysis, particularly around shame and unconscious processes, can illuminate theological understanding. Dr. Munz actively participates in academic discourse through conference presentations, including lectures on psychoanalysis and religious revolt in Julia Kristeva's work and poetic conversations between Martin Buber and Margarete Susman. She has also engaged with broader audiences through media appearances, such as a radio show on shame broadcast on SWR 2 Kultur. She has collaborated extensively with Ulrich Dällenbach on publications related to psychoanalytic theology, co-editing significant volumes that bridge these disciplinary fields. Her scholarly work demonstrates a commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue that enriches both theological understanding and clinical practice.

• Psychoanalysis and Theology
• Religious Studies
• Pastoral Care
• +3 more

Dr. Alexis Malefakis serves as Curator of African Collections at the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich. His work focuses on the exploration of ethnographic collecting as a European cultural practice and artifact, with particular interest in renegotiating colonial legacies through collaboration with stakeholders including diaspora groups and source communities. Malefakis received his doctorate in ethnology from the University of Konstanz in 2015, with a dissertation examining street vendors in urban East Africa. Prior to this, he completed studies in ethnology, sociology, and international law at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His research interests span material culture, collecting practices, cultural appropriation, museology, and decolonization processes. Malefakis actively investigates how museums can transform their relationships with African heritage, particularly through his leadership in the Benin Initiative Switzerland, which addresses the complex questions surrounding Benin royal treasures. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward collaborative approaches to museum work, with increasing focus on Benin heritage, provenance research, and decolonization practices. The 2024 publications particularly highlight his engagement with African diaspora communities and Swiss museum collections. Malefakis has curated several significant exhibitions including 'Benin obligated. How to deal with stolen royal treasures?' (2024-2026), 'Honeymoon? 5 questions for the 'Hans Paasche Collection' from East Africa' (2022-2024), and 'Speaking with drums. West African percussion skills in global conversation' (2019-2020). His current research is centered on the 'Benin obligated' project, which examines the complex ethical and practical dimensions of addressing colonial-era acquisitions in Swiss museums. Malefakis works collaboratively with Alice Hertzog and other colleagues on this initiative, reflecting his commitment to multi-vocal approaches to museum work.

• Material Culture
• Museology
• Decolonization Studies
• +5 more

Dirk Hovy is a leading researcher in computational linguistics and natural language processing, focusing on social bias, ethical AI, and sociodemographic factors in language technology. His work bridges NLP with social science, examining how socioeconomic status, gender, and cultural aspects influence both model performance and human-AI interaction. Key Research Themes: Socioeconomic bias in NLP systems, emotion analysis frameworks, hate speech detection, multilingual speech recognition disparities, and safety mechanisms for conversational AI. Collaborative Efforts: Works extensively with teams across Europe and North America, co-authoring studies on topics from Italian Twitter demographics (DADIT dataset) to LGBTQIA+ representation in language models. Methodological Contributions: Proposes novel evaluation frameworks like XSTest for safety behaviors, BooStSa for model significance testing, and Twitter-Demographer for data enrichment. Ethical Advocacy: Promotes inclusive language technology through research on neopronouns, religious bias mitigation, and value-sensitive design principles for safer AI systems. His recent publications explore the limitations of current demographic adaptation techniques in transformers, the reproduction of gendered emotion stereotypes in LLMs, and the urgent need for socio-economic class inclusion in NLP research. His work consistently emphasizes the intersection between technical innovation and societal impact.

• Natural Language Processing
• Social Bias in Language Models
• Emotion Analysis
• +6 more

Dr. Fabrice Flückiger is an Associated Researcher at the Institute of History, University of Bern, Switzerland. His work focuses on religious disputes, the Reformation, and digital humanities methods applied to historical analysis. He specializes in early modern European religious conflicts, particularly in Switzerland, examining how theological debates shaped confessional identities and political structures. His research integrates interdisciplinary approaches, combining textual analysis with digital tools to map voting patterns during the Reformation and visualize religious topographies. Key projects include studies on the Baden Disputation (1526), the role of sermons in reform movements, and the Atlas Marianus —a 17th-century Marian pilgrimage map. Flückiger’s publications analyze the mediation of faith through verbal and visual means, exploring how religious truths were contested and codified. He emphasizes the interplay between oral traditions, written sermons, and visual propaganda in shaping religious practices. His digital humanities work, such as Voting on Faith , demonstrates innovative applications of GIS and data visualization to historical studies. He collaborates internationally on projects like the Atlas Marianus edition and has contributed to debates on early modern religious conflict resolution strategies.

• Medieval History
• Early Modern European History
• Religious Disputes
• +4 more

Peter Danchin is a Professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where he has maintained a distinguished academic career focusing on international law and human rights. His scholarly work examines the intersection of law, religion, and human rights within the international legal framework, with particular attention to freedom of religion, secularism, and religious pluralism. His research has been published in leading journals including the Yale Journal of International Law, Harvard International Law Journal, and Michigan Journal of International Law. Professor Danchin's research interests center on international human rights law with a specialized focus on freedom of religion and belief. His scholarship explores how international legal frameworks address religious diversity and the challenges of balancing religious freedom with other rights. He has conducted extensive research on the European Court of Human Rights' approach to religious claims, the recognition of Muslim marriages in secular legal systems, and the relationship between secularism and religious freedom in international law. His work often examines the tensions between universal human rights norms and cultural or religious particularism. His most recent publications analyze contemporary challenges to the international legal order, including the pandemic paradox in global governance, the rise of populism and its impact on international law, and navigating backlash against global institutions. These works demonstrate his evolving scholarship addressing current geopolitical challenges while maintaining his core focus on human rights and religious freedom. Professor Danchin has collaborated extensively with scholars from the Australian National University College of Law, including Jeremy Farrall, Jolyon Ford, Shruti Rana, and Imogen Saunders, reflecting his engagement with international academic networks. His scholarship has been widely cited, with his 2010 article 'Islam in the Secular Nomos of the European Court of Human Rights' being among his most downloaded works on SSRN.

• International Law
• Human Rights Law
• Freedom of Religion
• +7 more