D. Christian Lammerts

D. Christian Lammerts is Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Rutgers University, with affiliate appointments in the Department of History, the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, and the South Asian Studies Program. He is also the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Religion and has previously taught at the National University of Singapore and served as a visiting professor at Yangon University.

His research focuses on the intersection of Buddhism and law in premodern and early modern Southeast Asia, particularly in Burma. His work centers on dhammasattha, the classical Buddhist legal literature of mainland Southeast Asia, which shaped legal traditions from the 13th to the 19th century. He has made significant contributions to the study of Theravāda Buddhist jurisprudence, Burmese and Pali manuscripts, epigraphy, and the historical development of legal systems under Buddhist influence.

Lammerts’ scholarship reveals deep engagement with textual, legal, and religious history, drawing on primary sources in Burmese and Pali. His major work, Buddhist Law in Burma: A History of Dhammasattha Texts and Jurisprudence, 1250–1850, is a foundational text in the field. As editor of the journal Buddhism, Law & Society, he continues to shape interdisciplinary discourse on religion and legal traditions.

He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and a B.A. from Williams College.

While no specific awards are listed, his editorial role and publications indicate recognition in his scholarly community. He advises graduate students as Director of Graduate Studies, though individual advisees are not named in the provided texts. There is no mention of external grants or research funding in the available material.

Lammerts is affiliated with multiple interdisciplinary programs and contributes to the academic infrastructure of Buddhist and Southeast Asian studies at Rutgers. His work bridges religious studies, legal history, and area studies, positioning him as a key figure in the study of Buddhist legal traditions in Southeast Asia.