معرفی
Dr. Suzanne Klein Schaarsberg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University. She specializes in the intersection of contemplative practices and political activism, exploring how spiritual approaches can challenge conventional understandings of social change and international relations.
Her research focuses on contemplative activism - the use of contemplation as a form of political protest and social change. Dr. Klein Schaarsberg examines how these practices challenge the Western separation between inner spiritual experience and outer political reality, arguing that for contemplative activists, spirituality becomes a form of social action and vice versa. Her work investigates how contemplation can expand embodied awareness and create alternative political imaginaries within what she terms the 'disenchanted North.'
Dr. Klein Schaarsberg's publications reveal a consistent exploration of how contemplative practices challenge conventional boundaries in social and political theory. Her research demonstrates how silent protest and 'being political' through contemplation offer prefigurative alternatives to traditional political engagement. She has published in prestigious journals including the European Journal of International Relations, Social Movement Studies, and Religie & Samenleving, with work spanning topics from political ontology to ethnographic methodology in studying spiritual practices.
Her scholarly contributions include:
- Research on the pluriverse concept in International Relations
- Analysis of contemplative fieldwork as thoughtful observation
- Examination of how mystical experiences of peace can drive social change
- Critique of the ontological separation between inner experience and outer reality
Dr. Klein Schaarsberg is actively engaged in academic discourse, serving as Programme Committee Vice Chair for the ESA RN 34 Midterm Conference in 2025 and regularly presenting her research at academic venues. Her teaching includes courses on sociological theory, foundations of sociology, and cultural approaches to contemporary challenges like climate change.
