Did you know...

  • that Religious Studies is not a theological discipline, but a non-denominational, cultural studies subject?
  • that Religious Studies can also be studied without basic studies (Bachelor/Master/Doctorate) within the framework of the Bachelor Religious Education (Religious Studies Education)?
  • that condition-free admission to the MA Religious Studies is possible after completing the two extension curricula in any undergraduate program?
  • that almost any undergraduate degree (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate) can be used for admission to the MA Religious Studies?
  • that required courses (usually consisting of the two extension curricula) can be completed not only before the start of the study program but also during the study programme?
  • that you can learn more about the self-image of the subject Religious Studies, the cultural studies discipline on the topic of "religion", here?
  • that EU/EEA/CH citizens do not pay tuition for their B.A./M.A./Ph.D. studies? Non-EU/EEA citizens are required to pay tuition fees of 749.42 Euro/semester.This includes all degree programmes (B.A./M.A./Ph.D.).

News

  • The Religious Studies Workshop Series continues on 26 November with a double session. Sára Eszter Heidl offers insights into "Religionesque: an Empirical Tool for Examining Alternative Religious Experiences and Practices", and Joseph Chadwin explores "The Concept of Guesthood'".
  • As part of the “Orientalisms” lecture series organised by the Fondation Inalco in Paris, Samuel Thévoz and documentary filmmaker and author Jeanne Mascolo de Filippis will give a lecture on 20 November on the life of female explorer Alexandra David-Neel. Further information on the event can be found here.
  • Congratulations to Marleen Thaler on the successful completion of the Ph.D. programme in Religious Studies with a thesis on The history of modern kundalini research. Gopi Krishna and the transformation of a south Asian goddess in the late twentieth century under the supervision of Karl Baier.
  • A documentary entitled "Occult Vienna – Magicians, Tricksters and Clairvoyants" was broadcasted on ORF III on 12 November. As part of this documentary, Karl Baier was interviewed on the respective topic. The programme can be viewed here.
  • The 13th workshop of the Religious Studies Workshop Series entitled "Classical Tibetan for Religious Studies Scholars" took place on 11 November in Seminar Room 4 and was led by Christoph Hammer. Further information on the workshop can be found here.
  • An article by Hüseyin I. Çiçek entitled "Ankara's Africa Policy" has been published in the journal zenith, in which he analyses the transformations in Turkey's foreign policy regarding Africa. The article can be accessed here.
  • Congratulations to Magdalena Kraler on being awarded the Roland-Atefie-Prize of the Austrian Academy of Sciences for her dissertation "Yoga Breath: The Reinvention of Prāṇa and Prāṇāyāma in Early Modern Yoga" under the supervision of Karl Baier.
  • Karl Baier gave a lecture and held a workshop on 25 October on the topic “Albert Hofmann's psychonautic circle of friends. On the genesis of a culture of intoxication” as part of the study day “Religion and Drugs: Intoxication, Ecstasy, Shamanism” at the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Basel.
  • Congratulations to Jeannine Gubi on completing the M.A. programme in Religious Studies with a thesis on Queerness und Spiritualität als Reise. Eine vergleichend-systematische Analyse der Theorien von John J. McNeill, Elizabeth Stuart und Hans-Georg Wiedemann [Queerness and Spirituality as a Journey: A Comparative Systematic Analysis of the Theories of John J. McNeill, Elizabeth Stuart, and Hans-Georg Wiedemann] under the supervision of Birgit Heller.
  • An interview with Hüseyin I. Çiçek on the death of Fetullah Gülen was published on the SRF website and can be listened to here. His assessments of the topic were also published in the Stuttgarter Zeitung and the Austrian daily newspaper Die Presse.
  • The Department is pleased to announce the recently published Festschrift for Hans Gerald Hödl, entitled "Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides". The volume was edited by Lukas K. Pokorny and Astrid Mattes and is part of the series "Religion and Transformation in Contemporary European Society". Here you can find the introduction and further information on this publication.
  • In spring 2025, the University of Tübingen will be holding a cross-location spring school on the topic of "Science Communication in Religious Studies". The spring school will take place as a digitally held intensive seminar from 3 to 6 March and on 4 April 2025. You can find more information on this website.
  • Hans Gerald Hödl's valedictory lecture entitled "The African High God - Fact or Fiction?" took place on 22 October in the main building of the University of Vienna. Further information on the event can be found here.
  • For students of Religious Studies, we are offering our mentoring program again this semester for questions and difficulties during their studies. You can find more information here.
  • Students in the Master's program Religious Studies now have the opportunity to carry out an independent research project worth 10 ECTS as part of updating a database of religious communities in Vienna. For further information, please contact Lukas K. Pokorny and Dirk Schuster.
  • In the new QS World University Ranking by Subject 2024, the University of Vienna's Theology and Religious Studies Cluster ranks 21st worldwide.

New Publications

  • Lukas K. Pokorny:
    1. and Laurence Cox, and Ugo Dessì, eds. 2024. East Asian Religiosities in the European Union: Globalisation, Migration, and Hybridity. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh.
    2.     and Astrid Mattes, eds. 2024. Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides: Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh.
    3. "The Funerary Tradition of Kōfuku no Kagaku." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Astrid Mattes, eds. Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides: Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 193–206.
    4. and Astrid Mattes. 2024. "Introduction." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Astrid Mattes, eds. Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides: Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, ix–xix.
    5. "Possession and Exorcism in Kōfuku no Kagaku." In: Nicole M. Bauer and J. Andrew Doole, eds. 2024. Ideas of Possession: Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press, 303–322.
    6.     and Dominic S. Zoehrer. "'All evil spirits must be brushed off': Possession and Liberation in the Unification Movement." In: Nicole M. Bauer and J. Andrew Doole, eds. 2024. Ideas of Possession: Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press, 285–302.
    7.     "Austria." In: Laurence Cox, Ugo Dessì, and Lukas K. Pokorny, eds. 2024. East Asian Religiosities in the European Union: Globalisation, Migration, and Hybridity. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 13–29.
    8. and Laurence Cox and Ugo Dessì. "Introductory Remarks." In: Laurence Cox, Ugo Dessì, and Lukas K. Pokorny, eds. 2024. East Asian Religiosities in the European Union: Globalisation, Migration, and Hybridity. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 1–9.
    9. "The Theosophical Daodejing: The Beginnings." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 61–82.
    10. and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury
    11. and Franz Winter. "China in the Euro-American Esoteric Imagination: Contouring a Lacuna." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 1–14.
    12.     and Rossella Ferrari, Rudiger Frank, and Ina Hein, eds. 2023. Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 15. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh.
    13.     and Grzegorz Frąszczak. "Yiguandao in Vietnam: A Preliminary Exploration." Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 15: 310–334.
    14. "Musok: Koreanischer Schamanismus [Musok: Korean Shamanism]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024.  Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 293–298.
    15. "Shintō." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 149–154.
    16. "Sōka Gakkai." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 321–325.
    17. "Vereinigungsbewegung [Unification Movement]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 327–332.
    18. "The Ascended Confucius: Images of the Chinese Master in the Euro-American Esoteric Discourse." In: NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions, 71 (1), 29–47.
    19. and Franz Winter, eds. Euro-American Esoteric Readings of East Asia. NVMEN. International Review for the History of Religions (Special Issue), 71 (1).
    20. and Franz Winter. "Euro-American Esoteric Readings of East Asia: Introductory Remarks." In: NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions, 71 (1), 1–8.
  • Birgit Heller:
    1. and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht [Religion and Gender], Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter.
    2. "Gerechtigkeit [Justice]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 459–476.
    3. "Geschlechterstereotype [Gender Stereotypes]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 375–390.
    4. "Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in der Religiosität [Gender-specific Differences in Religiosity]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 441–455.
    5. "Gewalt [Violence]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 477–491.
    6. "Gottheit und Geschlecht [Deity and Gender]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 425–439.
    7. "Hindu-Religionen [Hindu-Religions]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 89–111.
    8. "Sexualität [Sexuality]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 407–424.
    9. and Edith Franke. "Androzentrismus der Religionen und ihrer Erforschung [Androcentrism of Religions and their Examination]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 23–27.
    10. and Edith Franke. "Feminismus und geschlechtersensible Religionswissenschaft [Feminism and Gender-Sensitive Religious Studies]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 559–562.
    11.     and Edith Franke. "Forschungsgeschichte und Forschungsansätze: von der Frauenforschung zu Transgender Studies [Research History and Research Approaches: from Women's Studies to Transgender Studies]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 37–42.
    12. and Edith Franke. "Geschlechterrollen und religiöse Autorität [Gender Roles and Religious Authority]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 359–373.
    13. and Edith Franke. "Grundbegriffe [Basic Terminology]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 17–22.
    14. and Edith Franke. "Impulse des Feminismus für die Religionswissenschaft [Impulses of Feminism for the Study of Religion]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 29–36.
    15. and Edith Franke. "Körper [Body]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 391–406.
    16. and Edith Franke. "Leitkategorien [Central Categories]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 555–558.
    17. and Edith Franke. "Materialität, Religion und Geschlecht [Materiality, Religion and Gender]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 49–53.
    18. and Edith Franke. "Offizielle Religion und Alltagsreligion/gelebte Religion [Official Religion and Everyday Religion/Lived Religion]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 55–64.
    19. and Edith Franke. "Paradigmenwechsel und Forschungspostulate [Paradigm Shifts and Research Postulates]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 553–561.
    20. and Edith Franke. "Religion und Geschlecht: Verflechtungen und Wechselwirkungen [Religion and Gender: Entanglements and Interactions]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 1–13.
    21. and Edith Franke. "Religion und Geschlechterordnungen [Religion and Gender Structures]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 43–47.
  • Dirk Schuster:
    1. "Yrjö von Grönhagen und die ›Pflegstätte für indogermanisch-finnische Kulturbeziehungen‹. Forschung und Propaganda im SS-›Ahnenerbe‹ [Yrjö von Grönhagen and the 'Care Center for Indo-Germanic-Finnish Cultural Relations'. Research and propaganda in the SS 'Ahnenerbe']." In: Ralph Tuchtenhagen and Laura Hirvi, eds. 2024. Helsinki, Berlin und zwischendrin. Aspekte deutsch-finnischer Verflechtungen im 20. Jahrhundert. Berlin: Nordeuropa-Institut, 55–77.
  • Karl Baier:
    1. "Die magnetische Isis: Natur im Denken Franz Anton Mesmers [The Magnetic Isis: Nature in the Thought of Franz Anton Mesmer]." In: Thomas Ruhland and Friedemann Stengel, eds. 2024. Von der Physikotheologie zum Vitalismus? Transformationen des Verhältnisses von Naturforschung und Religion im späten 18. und frühen 19. Jahrhundert. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 545–591.
    2. "Intentionality and Non-Intentionality in Jung's Active Imaginaton." In: Sarah Perez, Bastiaan van Rijn and Jens Schlieter, eds. 2024. Intentional Transformative Experiences: Theorizing Self-Cultivation in Religion and Philosophy. Berlin: De Gruyter, 243–270.
    3.     "Phallizismus, Ehereform und ritualisierter Sex: Eine alternativreligiöse Konstellation des 19. Jahrhunderts [Phallicism, Marriage Reform and Ritualized Sex: An Alternative Religious Constellation of the 19th Century]." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Astrid Mattes, eds. 2024. Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides: Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 207–243.
    4.     "The Archetypal Dao: A Look at C. G. Jung's Reception of Chinese Thought." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 163–200.
  • Hüseyin I. Çiçek:
    1. and Rauf Ceylan. "Alevitische Identität in der Diaspora: Erfahrungen von Exklusion und soziale Integration im deutschsprachigen Raum [Alevite identity in the diaspora: experiences of exclusion and social integration in the German-speaking area]." In: Zeitschrift für Religion, Gesellschaft und Politik, 8 (2024), 109–128.
    2. "Alevis and Turkish-Muslims in Austria: History and Current Developments." In: Rauf Ceylan and Marvin Mücke, eds. 2024. Muslims in Europe. Historical developments, present issues, and future challenges. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 113–130.
  • Ugo Dessì:
    1. "Italian Zen and the Ways of Globalization." In: Lionel Obadia and Enzo Pace, eds. 2024. The Sociology of Yoga, Meditation, and Asian Asceticism. Leiden: Brill, 15‒40.
  • Johannes Endler:
    1. "Holistisches Milieu [Holistic Milieu]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. 2024. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin und Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 351–356.
  • Johann Figl:
    1. "Kritik und 'Selbstaufhebung' der Religion. Perspektiven des genealogischen und komparativen Methodik Nietzsches [Critique and 'Self-abrogation' of Religion. Perspectives on Nietzsche's genealogical and comparative methodology]." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Astrid Mattes, eds. 2024. Taking Seriously, Not Taking Sides. Challenges and Perspectives in the Study of Religions, Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 307–326.
    2. "Der neue Mensch in der Philosophie Nietzsches [The new human being in Nietzsche's philosophy]." In: Mariano Delgado und Klaus Vellguth, eds. 2024. Der bessere Mensch. Religionswissenschaftliche, ethische und theologische Perspektiven, Ostfildern: Matthias Grünewald Verlag, 67–84.
  • Pavel Horák:
    1. and Karolina Maria Kotkowska, eds. Occultism and Politics in Central and Eastern Europe. The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture. New Series 17 (1).
    2.     and Karolina Maria Kotkowska. "Introduction: Studying the Complex Histories of the Occult and Politics in Central and Eastern Europe." In: The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture. New Series 17 (1), 7-11.
  • Davide Marino:
    1. "The Daoist Who Wasn't: Albert de Pouvourville, Matgioi, Nguyễn Văn Cang and the Problem of Indochinese Masters in fin de siècle Occultism." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 83–108.
  • Nickolas P. Roubekas:
    1. "Οι Ισλαμικές Σπουδές τον 21ο Αιώνα: Το Έργο του Aaron Hughes και το Χάσμα Μεταξύ Παραδοσιακών και Κριτικών Προσεγγίσεων [Islamic Studies in the 21st Century: Aaron Hughes on the Chasm Between Traditionalist and Critical Approaches]." In: Christos Tsironis, Niki Papageorgious, Stylianos Tsobanidis and Panayotis Pachis, eds. 2024. Κοινωνία και Αξίες: Τιμητικό Αφιέρωμα στον Ομότιμο Καθηγητή Ιωάννη Σ. Πέτρου [Society and Values: Essays in Honor of Prof. Emeritus Ioannis S. Petrou]. Thessaloniki: Barbounakis, 423–440.
    2. "Religion as a Costly but Beneficial Evolutionary By-Product: On Scott Atran’s In Gods we Trust (2002)." In: Michael Stausberg, ed. 2024: 21st Century Theories of Religion: A Critical Companion. London and New York: Routledge, 105–120.
    3. and Dimitris Xygalatas and Luther H. Martin, and Donald Wiebe, eds. 2024. Studying Religion, Past and Present: Papers in Honor of Panayotis Pachis. London and New York: Bloomsbury.
    4.     "On Definition, Theories, and Disciplinary Cooperation: Towards a Modern Study of Ancient Greek and Roman Religion." In: Nickolas P. Roubekas, Dimitris Xygalatas, Luther H. Martin and Donald Wiebe, eds. 2024: Studying Religion, Past and Present: Papers in Honor of Panayotis Pachis. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 62–72.
    5.     "Religious Studies and Greek and Roman Religions: A Work-in-Progress." In: Religious Studies Review 50 (2), 285–289.
  • Alisha Saikia:
    1. "Death, Reincarnation and Rebirth of BJDs". In: Religions 15 (9), 1072.
  • Julian Strube:
    1.     "Esotericism between Europe and East Asia: How the 'Esoteric Distinction' Became a Structure in Cross-Cultural Interpretation." In: NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions, 71 (1), 9–28.
    2. "Daoism and Kung Fu as Occult Sciences. Historical Comparisons between Chinese Practices and Mesmerism." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 2024. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 15–34.
  • Samuel Thévoz:
    1. "'Trainings for Sorcery, Magic, Mystic, Philosophy—for That Which Is Called 'the Great Accomplishment': Alexandra David-Neel’s Written and Unwritten Tibetan Grimoires." In: Cameron Bailey und Aleksandra Wenta, eds. 2024. Tibetan Magic: Past and Present. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 193–220.
    2. und Jeanne Mascolo de Filippis. 2024. "Présentation." In: Alexandra David-Neel, Souvenirs d'une Parisienne au Thibet. Paris: Plon, 21–47.
    3. "Une relation initiatique paradoxale: autour des deux lettres de Jacques Tasset à Alexandra David-Neel conservées dans les archives de la Maison Alexandra David-Neel." In: Revue de l'Association Alexandra David-Néel, 4, 48–67.
  • Human-Friedrich Unterrainer:
    1. et al. "Investigating the Network Ties between Affect, Attachment, and Psychopathology". In: Journal of Affective Disorders, 367, 263–273.
    2. et al. "Is there an affective neuroscience of spirituality? The development and validation of the OCEANic feelings scale." In: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18:1329226.
    3. et al. "Anxious and depressive symptoms mediate the influence of sleep quality on suicidality in young adults." In: Frontiers in Public Health, 12:1322069.
    4. et al. "Primäremotionen und Bindung bei psychischer Erkrankung [Primary emotions and attachment in mental disorder]." In: Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, 70.
    5. et al. "The Relationship Between Attachment, Primary Emotions and Positive/Negative
    Spirituality: A Path Analysis    ." In: Frontiers in Public Health, 12:1375850.
    6. et al. "Influence of Attachment Styles on the Relationship between Primary Emotions and Substance Related Addictive Behaviors." In: Frontiers in Public Health, 12:1380539.
    7. et al. "The effectiveness of a standardized tobacco cessation program on psychophysiological parameters in patients with addiction undergoing long-term rehabilitation: a quasi-experimental pilot study." In: BMC Medicine, 22:184.
    8. et al. "Does adult attachment mediate the relationship between primary emotion traits and eating disorder symptoms?" In: Frontiers in Psychology, 15:1372756.
    9. et al. "Theory of mind abilities during the course of bipolar disorder: A longitudinal study using mixed models." In: Psychiatry Research, 339:116039.
  • Robert Wurzrainer:
    1. and Wolfram Reiss. "Anwendungsorientierte Religionswissenschaft: Aktuelle Beispiele und mögliche Entwicklungen [Application-orientated Religious Studies: Current examples and possible developments]." In: Michael Klöcker, Udo Twoschuka and Martin Rötting, eds. 2024. Handbuch der Religionen. Kirchen und andere Glaubensgemeinschaften in Deutschland und im deutschsprachigen Raum, EL 79. Hohenwarsleben: Westarp. I–5.7.10, 1–29.
    2. "Religionswissenschaft und Ethikunterricht: Potenziale und Perspektiven [Religious Studies and Ethics Education: Potentials and Perspectives]." In: Religionen unterwegs, 30 (2), 28–29.