Federico SQUARCINI

Federico Squarcini is an Associate Professor at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, affiliated with the Department of Asian and North African Studies. His research focuses on the history of religions, particularly South Asian traditions, with specializations in yoga philosophy, Hinduism, and the intersection of ancient texts with modern socio-political contexts. He has authored numerous monographs and articles on topics such as yoga historiography, Sanskrit textual analysis, and the cultural and political dimensions of religious practices.

He serves as director of editorial series including Alti Studi di Storia delle religioni and Anthem South Asian Normative Texts Studies, and contributes to editorial boards of journals like Studi e Materiali di Storia delle religioni. Fluent in English (advanced written and spoken), his expertise bridges comparative religion, social sciences, and humanities.

Squarcini’s research areas include philosophical analysis of yoga texts, the historiography of Hindu legal traditions (e.g., Manusmriti), and the global reception of South Asian religious ideas. His recent work critiques modern interpretations of yoga and explores the semiotic and ethical dimensions of ancient Indian thought.

Key contributions include monographs on Patanjali’s Yogasūtra, yoga’s visual and textual histories, and the socio-political roles of tolerance discourses in ancient India. He also engages with postcolonial theory and the dynamics of cultural representation in religious studies.