Steffen Döll

Steffen Döll is the Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhism at the University of Hamburg’s Faculty of Humanities, affiliated with the Asia-Africa Institute. He leads the 'World Genealogy' project within the Cluster of Excellence ‘Understanding Written Artefacts’ (UWA) and holds roles such as Co-Editor of Hamburg Buddhist Studies and Journal of Chan Buddhism. His research focuses on Japanese Buddhism’s transmission, Buddhist philosophy, and East Asian religious and written cultures.

Education: PhD (2009, Munich), M.A. (2004, LMU Munich), studies at Kyoto University (1998–2008). Notable roles include Guest Professor at Hamburg’s Numata Center (2013) and Fellowship at the Junge Kolleg (2010).

Research Interests: Buddhist textual practices, religious authority, cross-cultural genealogies, and East Asian intellectual history. His work bridges historical analysis with philosophical inquiry, emphasizing Japan-China interactions.

Key Projects: Head of Zen Buddhist Genealogical Diagrams in Early Modern Japan (2023–2026), contributor to UWA’s 'Creating Originals' field.

Awards: Junge Kolleg membership (2010), recognition for academic leadership in Buddhist Studies.