Claire Maes

Claire Maes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Indology at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen, where she joined in September 2021. Her research centers on Jainism and Indian Buddhism, with a focus on death rituals, monastic identity, and interreligious dynamics. She is actively involved in teaching, research supervision, and public scholarship.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Indian Languages and Cultures, Ghent University, Belgium (2015)
• Studies in Indian Philosophy, University of Mysore, India

Her research interests include Jainism, Indian Buddhism, religious ethics, death and dying, monasticism, and the impact of global crises like the pandemic on religious practices. She explores identity formation through interreligious contact, particularly between early Buddhists and Jains, using textual analysis of the Pāli Vinaya and contemporary fieldwork.

Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on fasting to death (sallekhanā), religious adaptation during the pandemic, and the construction of religious identity through dialogue with 'others'. These works span journals in religious studies, Buddhist studies, and South Asian studies, showing interdisciplinary reach and methodological diversity.

Scientific Awards:

She supervises doctoral research and collaborates internationally, notably on the project 'Ethics and Philosophy of Extreme Fasting in Eastern and Western Traditions' with the University of Bern. She has taught Sanskrit, Prakrit, and courses on Indian religions, non-violence, and modern South Asia since 2010. Her public engagement includes contributions to museum exhibitions and participation in academic reading groups and conferences.

She is currently supervising Geetha K Wilson’s doctoral project on Charlemagne in Kerala’s Caviṭṭunāṭakam theater, reflecting a broader interest in cultural transmission and religious performance.