Lauren Osborne

Lauren Osborne is an Associate Professor of Religion at Whitman College, specializing in Islamic Studies with interdisciplinary expertise in music and sensory theory. Her academic journey includes a BA in Religious Studies and BMus in Performance from Lawrence University, followed by MA and PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Research Focus: Central to her work is the intersection of sound, sensation, and Islamic religious traditions, particularly Qur'anic recitation and sensory engagement with scripture. Current projects include the book Sensing the Qur’an, examining human senses in Qur'anic interpretation.

Teaching: Courses include:

• Religion & the Senses
• Sound of Religion
• Qur'an in Interpretation and Practice
• Comparative Scriptures
• Islamic Mysticism

Notable Publications: Her 2025 book Hearing Islam explores sonic practices in global Islam through oral traditions, listening theories, and musical genres like qawwali and hip-hop. Key journal articles address Qur'anic orality, aural epistemology, and mediated recitation.