Koen Wellens

Koen Wellens is an Associate Professor at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Humanities, affiliated with the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. His research focuses on Chinese society, ethnic minorities, Buddhist practice, and state-religion dynamics, with a particular emphasis on Southwest China and Taiwan's indigenous communities.

Education: Ph.D. in Humanities (University of Oslo), M.A. in China Studies and Anthropology (State University of Ghent and Aarhus University). He served as Director of the China Programme at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (2005–2013) and held visiting scholar positions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2011–2012) and Academia Sinica, Taipei (2015).

Teaching includes courses such as KIN1500, KIN4510, and others related to Chinese studies. His work explores themes like religious revival, minority rights, and the intersection of law, development, and cultural practices. Recent publications analyze Buddhist modernities, water deity cosmologies, and ethnic identity formation in post-Mao China.