Oliver Krüger is a Full Professor of Religious Studies in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Appointed in 2007, he has served as president of the Swiss Association for the Study of Religion (2011-2014) and is a Fellow of the International Centre for Advanced Studies Morphomata at the University of Cologne. His academic journey spans from studying Sociology, Archaeology and Religious Studies in Bonn to research positions at Princeton University and Heidelberg University, establishing him as a leading scholar at the intersection of religion, media, and digital culture. Dr. Krüger studied Sociology, Archaeology and Religious Studies at the University of Bonn (1994-1999), working with scholars including Werner Gephart, Karl Hoheisel, and Wolfgang Gantke. He received his doctorate in 2003 from the University of Bonn with a dissertation on "Virtuality and Immortality: The Visions of Posthumanism," which was awarded by the German Association for the History of Religion. His academic development included research at Heidelberg University's Collaborative Research Center Ritual Dynamics (2002-2005) on Wicca movement communication online and at Princeton University's Center for the Study of Religion (2005-2007) exploring alternative funeral culture in the United States. Professor Krüger's research focuses on the intersection of religion, media, and digital culture, with particular emphasis on posthumanism and transhumanism. His work critically examines how religious concepts and practices transform in digital environments, analyzing phenomena like online rituals, virtual communities, and the religious dimensions of emerging technologies. He has developed significant theoretical frameworks for understanding "virtuality" as "the availability of the unavailability" and has consistently challenged normative preconceptions in the study of religion and media. His scholarship demonstrates how religious studies frameworks can illuminate technological discourses that often present themselves as purely secular. His publications reveal a consistent trajectory from early work on internet-based religious communities to current explorations of AI, posthumanism, and digital religion. Recent works increasingly analyze the relational aspects between secular and religious interpretations of technological progress, showing how posthumanist visions often replicate traditional religious patterns while claiming scientific objectivity. Krüger's approach emphasizes dynamic, relational perspectives over static definitions of religion, contributing significantly to paradigm shifts in the field. Professor Krüger has received notable recognition for his scholarly contributions, including: Dissertation Prize from the German Association for the History of Religions (2003/2004) Fellowship at the International Centre for Advanced Studies Morphomata, University of Cologne (2012/13) At the University of Fribourg, Krüger supervises graduate students researching digital religion, posthumanism, and media theory. He has edited several special journal issues that have shaped scholarly discourse, including "Theory and Methodology" (2005), "Religion and Ecology" (2022), and "The Dynamics of Religion, Media and Community" (2022). His habilitation thesis "Media-based religion. Problems and perspectives of media research in religious studies and the sociology of knowledge" (2012) comprehensively examines the history and research field of religion and media. Professor Krüger has been instrumental in developing academic networks around digital religion and posthumanism. He co-founded and edits the journal AЯGOS (Argonauts), which focuses on innovative approaches in religious studies. At Fribourg, he leads research initiatives examining the intersection of religion, media, and technology, fostering collaborations between scholars in religious studies, sociology, philosophy, and digital humanities. He has also worked extensively on the history of religious studies, particularly on Edmund Hardy (1852-1904), contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the discipline's development.










