Thomas Blom Hansen

Thomas Blom Hansen (born 1958) is Professor of Religious Studies at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA), appointed as of July 1, 2006. His academic work focuses on the intersection of religion, diversity, and post-colonial societies, with particular expertise in India and South Africa.

Professor Hansen's research examines how diverse societies manage cultural and religious differences, with special attention to the colonial origins of multiculturalism. He argues that the British colonial administration in India developed early models for managing diverse communities that later influenced European approaches to multiculturalism. His work challenges the notion of a culture-neutral public space, emphasizing instead how all societies—including those in Europe—are fundamentally diverse. Hansen has conducted significant research on Hindu-Muslim conflicts in India and on how Indians in South Africa navigate identity politics in the post-apartheid era.

Hansen is affiliated with the Max Planck Institute, where he contributes to research on immigration societies in Europe and longstanding multiethnic societies globally. He advocates for reversing the traditional knowledge flow, suggesting that European societies could learn from the long-standing experiences of countries like India and South Africa in managing diversity. His work emphasizes the everyday practices of coexistence in multicultural urban environments, linguistic diversity, and the ethical dimensions of religious practice in contemporary societies.

Professor Hansen has been particularly interested in rethinking post-colonial urban landscapes in Asia and Africa, challenging Western-centric urban theories. He observes a global trend where religious identity is increasingly embraced as a form of ethical self-definition, offering practical moral codes rather than deep cosmological explanations. His anthropological approach rejects essentialist notions of cultural identity, instead examining how people navigate multiple social spheres and construct flexible personhoods in diverse environments.