معرفی
Dr. Tim Karis serves as Scientific Director of the Centrum für Religionswissenschaftliche Studien (CERES) at Ruhr University Bochum since October 2015, concurrently holding Principal Investigator roles for the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1475 "Metaphors of Religion" and coordinating multiple research groups including Euro-asiatische Religionsgeschichte and Religiöse Vielfalt der Gegenwart.
His academic foundation includes doctoral studies in communication science, modern history, and public law completed at Münster Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics," culminating in a 2013 dissertation on Islam-related narratives in German television news (1979-2010). Prior to his Bochum appointment, he coordinated the postdoctoral research group "Religious Plurality as a Challenge for Religions and Societies" at Münster Center for Islamic Theology.
Karis's research interrogates the dynamic interplay between religious expression and media systems, with three core pillars: (1) media regulation frameworks adapting to religious pluralism, (2) discourse-theoretical analyses of mass media representations, and (3) evolving religious practices in digital contexts. His empirical work frequently employs German-Dutch comparative frameworks, examining phenomena like kosher cooking shows, Muslim broadcasting councils, and prayer apps through sociological and regulatory lenses. Recent scholarship increasingly engages metaphor theory as an analytical tool for understanding religion's digital manifestations.
Analysis of his publication trajectory reveals a methodological shift from historical discourse analysis (2007-2016) toward contemporary digital culture studies (2018-present), with growing emphasis on metaphor as a conceptual bridge between religious traditions and new media. His 2025 works explicitly connect sci-fi narratives (Netflix's 3 Body Problem) and prayer apps to theological concepts of transcendence.
As institutional leader, Karis has secured significant funding through SFB 1475 while directing CERES's research strategy for nearly a decade. His mentorship extends to postdoctoral researchers through coordinated groups, though no formal PhD students are documented. Current projects focus on metaphor in religion (SFB 1475), digital media regulation challenges, and the "Stepping Back and Looking Ahead" initiative reflecting on twelve years of religious contact research at Käte Hamburger Kolleg Bochum.
CERES operates as his primary research ecosystem, housing coordinated groups on Euro-Asian religious history, mission collections, and contemporary religious diversity. He actively shapes the center's direction through the CERES Directorate and Research Department, positioning it as Germany's leading interdisciplinary hub for religion-media studies.
