Mark McLaughlin

Mark McLaughlin is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the College of William & Mary, affiliated with the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Program. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, specializing in South Asian Religions and Sanskrit.

• Education: Ph.D. in Religious Studies (South Asian Religions/Sanskrit), University of California, Santa Barbara

His research focuses on sacred space, exploring topics such as samādhi (Hindu tomb-shrine) burial practices, ritual interaction with space, and the intersection of religion with technology and sustainability. He is currently working on a book about the samādhi mandir of 13th-century Varkari saint Jñāneśvar Mahārāj in Āḷandī, Maharashtra. McLaughlin pioneers immersive 360º video content of Indian sacred spaces for pedagogical use via VR headsets and teaches experiential courses on meditation’s biomedicalization and Hindu traditions. He also directs the Bengaluru/Goa Summer Abroad Program, integrating fieldwork on religion and sustainability in India.

His courses include 'Introduction to Hinduism,' 'Tombs, Temples, and Topography,' and 'Meditation and the Mind.'