Harjot Oberoi

Harjot Oberoi is a Professor specializing in South Asian Social & Religious History within the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts. His office is located in the Asian Centre 410. With a distinguished academic career spanning several decades, Professor Oberoi has established himself as a leading scholar in South Asian historical studies.

Oberoi completed his BA (Honours) in History at Delhi University, followed by a Masters and M.Phil in Modern South Asian History at Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre of Historical Studies. He earned his doctorate from the Centre for Asian Studies at the Australian National University, where his dissertation won the prestigious J.G. Crawford Prize in 1987.

Professor Oberoi's research has focused on popular nationalism and religious discourse under colonialism and modernity. His work has explored how classical empires shaped the British Raj in India, examining critical theory, law and society, transnational cultures, and complex systems. He led a significant multi-year collaborative project under the American Academy of Arts and Sciences at the University of Chicago, which produced five volumes published by the University of Chicago Press.

His publications reveal a scholarly trajectory examining the construction of religious boundaries, colonial intellectual history, and theoretical approaches to historical analysis. The works demonstrate consistent engagement with South Asian religious and social formations during the colonial period, with particular attention to boundary-making processes and intellectual frameworks.

• J.G. Crawford Prize (1987)
• Best First Book, American Academy of Religions
• Killam Research Prize
• Killam Research Fellowship

Professor Oberoi's research has received substantial support from major funding bodies including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Killam Trust. While specific advising information isn't detailed in the available materials, his scholarly contributions suggest significant mentorship of graduate students in South Asian historical studies. His work on the construction of religious boundaries represents a foundational contribution to the field that continues to influence contemporary scholarship.