Alexander van der Haven

Dr. Alexander van der Haven is a Professor of Religious Studies at the Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion, University of Bergen. His research spans Jewish history, conversion dynamics, and the intersection of religion with madness. He contributes to comparative religious analysis and intercultural scriptural studies.

Key research areas include:

• Religious conversion in early modern Europe
• Sabbatian messianic movements
• Religion and mental health
• Hebrew-Qur’an translation history
• Fin-de-siècle religious subcultures
• Eschatology in Jewish-Christian interactions

His publications reveal a focus on 17th-19th century religious transformations, analyzing how communities negotiate identity through conversion narratives, apocalyptic texts, and cross-cultural adaptations. Van der Haven examines religion’s role in violence, tolerance, and intellectual history.

He co-edited Religion and Madness Around 1900 and led the project Religious Minorities Online. Current work engages October 7th’s aftermath and Jewish-Muslim relations in South Asia.