Hent de Vries

Hent de Vries is the Paulette Goddard Professor of the Humanities at New York University, holding appointments in Religious Studies, German, Comparative Literature, and Affiliated Professor of Philosophy. He chairs the Department of Religious Studies and directs the summer School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University. A leading figure in continental philosophy and religious studies, his work bridges metaphysics, theology, and political theory.

Education:

• BA/MA in Judaica and Hellenistic Thought (Theology), Public Finance and Political Economy (Law) – Leiden University
• PhD in Philosophy of Religion (Leiden University)

Research Interests: Metaphysics; philosophy of religion; religion and law; post-secular reason; political theology; media studies. His scholarship critically examines theology’s role in modern thought, exploring intersections between secularism, violence, and ethics.

Key Contributions:

• Edited Cultural Memory in the Present series (Stanford UP)
• Directed The Humanities Center at Johns Hopkins University (2009–2017)
• Recipient of the 2020 Prix du Rayonnement de la langue et de la littérature françaises

Current projects include a trilogy on miracles and moral pragmatism, and leadership in interdisciplinary research programs such as the €5.4M NWO-funded 'Future of the Religious Past' initiative.