معرفی
Joanna Wojtkowiak serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanist Chaplaincy Studies at the University of Humanistic Studies (UVH), where she has taught and conducted research since 2012. She directs the Bachelor program in Humanistic Studies and co-developed the postacademic celebrant training program.
Education:
- MSc in Cultural Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen
- PhD in Religious Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen
Her research examines ritual innovation, meaning-making processes, and life transitions (particularly birth and death) through interdisciplinary lenses integrating cultural psychology, religious studies, anthropology, and philosophy. She investigates how existential concerns manifest in Western societies via embodied, relational, and performative expressions—exploring connections between meaning-in-life and experiences of loss/suffering versus joy/empowerment. Current work compares existential dimensions of birth and death rituals with emphasis on embodiment and relationality.
Professional Leadership:
- Board member and Chair of IRILIS - Institute for Ritual and Liturgical Studies
- Board member, Kenniscentrum Levensbeschouwing en Geestelijke Volksgezondheid (KSGV)
- Reviewer for Social Science and Medicine, Death Studies, PLOS One, and other journals
