James D. Reich

James D. Reich is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Pace University, part of the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences. His academic work bridges religious studies, philosophy, and literature, with a focus on pre-modern South Asia, particularly medieval Kashmir. He has previously taught at NYU, Barnard College, The New School, and Harvard University.

• PhD, Harvard University, 2016
• MTS, Harvard Divinity School, 2009
• BA, Vassar College, 2005

Reich’s research centers on the intersections of aesthetics, theology, and literary theory in Sanskrit intellectual traditions. He has a particular interest in how poetry communicates emotion, the role of language and expertise, and the philosophical underpinnings of religious practice. His work also extends to contemporary religious life, especially within diasporic Hindu communities in New York. He is currently researching the history of gemstones and gemstone experts in South Asia, as well as the representation of song and singing in Sanskrit literature.

His recent publications include articles in Indo-Iranian Journal, Journal of Indian Philosophy, and Journal of the American Oriental Society, as well as public essays in Boston Review and The Revealer. His 2021 book, To Savor the Meaning: The Theology of Literary Emotions in Medieval Kashmir (Oxford University Press), is a major scholarly contribution that examines the theological dimensions of literary aesthetics through the works of Anandavardhana, Abhinavagupta, and Mahimabhatta. The articles and essays reflect a consistent engagement with themes of emotion, transmission of knowledge, divine play, and the cultural significance of literary and religious forms across historical and contemporary settings.

Reich is also an active translator of Sanskrit texts, including selections from Buddhabhaṭṭa’s gemological manual and Subandhu’s Vāsavadattā. His translations appear in journals such as Circumference and Caesura.

He has co-authored ethnographic research on Guyanese Hindu communities in Queens, NY, exploring themes of double diaspora, identity, and intergenerational continuity. This work reflects his commitment to public scholarship and interdisciplinary inquiry.

Reich teaches courses such as Indian Philosophy, Eastern Religious Thought, Buddhism, and senior seminars in philosophy and religious studies. He has supervised independent studies on topics like Buddhist art on the Silk Road and offers private Sanskrit instruction in New York City.