Eliza Kent

Eliza Kent is a Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Skidmore College. Her research focuses on South Asian Religions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Christianity, examining religious pluralism, conversion, syncretism, and environmental intersections. She has authored two monographs and co-edited volumes, with a strong emphasis on religion and ecology in India and Ethiopia, gender studies, and methodological approaches to religious studies.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Chicago, History of Religions (1999)
  • M.A., University of Chicago, Religious Studies (1992)
  • B.A., Williams College, Religion and Women’s Studies (1989)

Her work bridges South Asian religious practices with global environmental and gender dynamics, analyzing sacred groves, church forests, and the socio-political implications of religious conversion. She has held numerous grants, including from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Fulbright, and received awards like the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title. Kent teaches courses in religion and culture, health in Asian religions, and Hindu mythology.

Notable Publications include studies on transient temples in urban South India, Ethiopian church forests, and intersections of caste, gender, and religion. Scientific Awards:

• CHOICE Award for Outstanding Academic Title (2004)
• Best Book in Hindu-Christian Studies (2003-2005)
• NEH Fellowship (2007)
• Fulbright IIE Fellowship (1996-1997)

Her interdisciplinary research spans religious ecology, gender, caste, and conservation, with collaborations in biology and geography. She has published extensively in journals like Worldviews, South Asia Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, and Human Ecology, while also contributing to edited volumes on Hindu-Christian relations.