معرفی
Kurtis R. Schaeffer serves as the Frances Myers Ball Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. With over twenty-five years of specialized research experience, he has established himself as a leading scholar in Tibetan Buddhist literature and religious culture, with particular expertise in narrative and poetic traditions across Tibet, India, and Bhutan.
- BA, Department of Religious Studies, Lewis & Clark College
- BA, The Evergreen State College, Area of Emphasis: Buddhist Studies
- MA, Department of Asian Languages and Literatures, The University of Washington
- PhD, Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, Harvard University
Schaeffer's research centers on the narrative and poetic literature of Buddhism across the Himalayan region, with extensive work on stories of the Buddha, Buddhist saints, and famous Buddhist masters. His scholarship examines how religious narratives function within cultural contexts, particularly focusing on the creation and transmission of Buddhist literary traditions. He has published groundbreaking work on the lives of Tibetan religious figures who compiled the Tibetan Buddhist Canons, the biography of a Himalayan Buddhist nun, and the evolution of stories about the Indian yogi Saraha through Tibetan history. More recently, he has expanded his research to explore the rich visual narratives of the Buddha in Tibet and Bhutan, integrating art historical approaches with textual analysis.
Schaeffer's scholarly output reveals a consistent trajectory from textual analysis toward interdisciplinary approaches that bridge traditional religious studies with digital humanities. His publications include major monographs, edited volumes, and academic papers that demonstrate deep engagement with primary Tibetan sources while addressing broader theoretical questions about religious narrative, cultural transmission, and the materiality of religious texts. The progression from works like Himalayan Hermitess (2004) to his collaborative Life of the Buddha project shows an evolution toward multimodal scholarship that combines textual, visual, and digital elements.
Schaeffer has held significant leadership positions including President of the Buddhist Digital Resource Center, the world's largest digital repository of Buddhist texts, and previously served as Chair of the Department of Religious Studies from 2012 to 2020. His work extends beyond traditional academic boundaries through public-facing initiatives that connect religious scholarship with contemporary social issues.
Currently, Schaeffer co-directs the Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab with Martien Halvorson-Taylor, which produces the "Sacred & Profane" podcast exploring religion's role in daily life. He also co-directs The Sanctuary Lab with Halvorson-Taylor and Willis Jenkins, bringing together artists, humanists, and scientists to examine how religious connections to special places impact environmental perceptions and climate change understanding. His collaborative Life of the Buddha project combines art, literature, and digital humanities to make the largest narrative mural of the Buddha's life in Tibet accessible to the public.
