Mark Juergensmeyer

Mark Juergensmeyer is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Global Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and founding director of the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies. His research focuses on global religion, religious violence, conflict resolution, and South Asian politics. He holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and has authored over 30 books and 300 articles, including seminal works like Terror in the Mind of God and God and War.

His academic awards include the 2003 Grawemeyer Award, the 2004 Silver Award from the Queen Sofia Center, and a Distinguished Teaching Award from UCSB (2006). His work spans interviews with global militants, analysis of religious nationalism, and contributions to conflict resolution frameworks.

• Education: Ph.D., UC Berkeley
• Research Interests: Global religious violence dynamics, religious nationalism, conflict mediation, South Asian studies.

His recent scholarship explores the intersection of religion and warfare, the rise of autocratic regimes, and the decline of secular governance. He has advised global institutions and contributed to peace initiatives, such as the US Institute of Peace-funded projects.

Awards and Grants: Fellowships from the Wilson Center, Guggenheim Foundation, and U.S. Institute of Peace. His research emphasizes transnational religious movements and their political impacts.