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

  • Congratulations to Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter for the publication of their book Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China, which is now available at Bloomsbury. The PDF version is already accessible for free through the University of Vienna library.
  • Karl Baier will give a lecture on 22 April on the topic "Johann Caspar Lavater (1741-1801). A pioneer of parapsychology" at the Austrian Society for Parapsychology. The lecture will take place in the ceremonial hall of the Bezirksmuseum Josefstadt, and you can find more information about the lecture here.
  • On 29 April, the eighth workshop of the Religious Studies Workshop Series on "Researching Religion: Definitions and methodologies" will take place with Ramón Soneira-Martínez in Seminar Room 4. Further information on the content of the workshop can be found here.
  • In the new QS World University Ranking by Subject 2024, the University of Vienna's Theology and Religious Studies Cluster ranks 21st worldwide.
  • In the latest podcast by the Network of Kurdish Academics entitled "Turkey has voted: The beginning of the end?", Hüseyin I. Çiçek talks about the local elections in Turkey. The podcast can be listened to here.
  • We warmly welcome David Václavík (University of Brno) at the Department. During his stay, he will teach a course on "Transformations of Contemporary Atheism".
  • Congratulations to Joseph Chadwin for completing the Ph.D. programme in Religious Studies with a thesis on “Long for One’s Ancestors, Miss One’s Home: An Ethnographic Study of Everyday Lived Chinese Popular Religion,” which has been supervised by Professor Lukas K. Pokorny.
  • In an interview published on the Germany portal of the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin on 28 March, Hüseyin I. Çiçek discusses necessary limits concerning the involvmenent of politics in religious matters. The interview can be read here.
  • On 24 April, the presentation of the Open Access publication "Religion und Geschlecht" by Birgit Heller and Edith Franke will take place at the University of Marburg. The event will be moderated by Kerstin Tretina from ORF, and participation is possible both on site and online. Further information on the event can be found here.
  • An interview with Hüsyein I. Çiçek on the issue of the Alevi minority in the discourse on Islam was published in Cicero - Magazin für politische Kultur and can be accessed here.
  • The symposium of the Austrian Society for Religious Studies (ÖGRW) which was held on 15 March on the topic of "Religious Studies in Ethics Education"  has been announced both on the website of ORF and Kathpress.
  • On 18 March, the seventh workshop of the Religious Studies Workshop Series on "How to Secure an MSCA Fellowshop" with Pavel Horák took place. Further information on the content can be found here.
  • Congratulations to Julian Strube for his appointment as Professor of Religious Studies at the prestigious University of Göttingen! Professor Strube officially assumed his new position on 1 April 2024.
  • The Department is pleased to announce the Open Access publication of the anthology Religion und Geschlecht edited by Birgit Heller and Edith Franke (University of Marburg). In addition to an historical overview concerning the interrelationships between religion and gender, the volume also contains analyses of comparative-systematic topics and demonstrates the aims and approach of gender-sensitive Religious Studies. Lukas K. Pokorny and Johannes Endler also contributed to this anthology.
  • The calls for individual papers as well as closed panels and roundtables for the XXIII IAHR World Congress from 24 to 30 August in Kraków are now open. Further information can be found here.
  • The Department congratulates Pavel Horák on the publication of his co-edited issue of The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture. New Series on "Occultism and Politics in Central and Eastern Europe".
  • In a new episode of the Skandilös, the podcast of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Vienna, Dirk Schuster talks about "The religion(s) of the Germanic tribes – yesterday and today". The focus of his talk is on the discrepancy between scientific findings and the prevailing public perception. The podcast can be listened to here.
  • The Department of Religious Studies mourns the loss of its long-time Professorial Research Fellow Robert A. Segal (1948–2024). Professor Segal was also Professor and Sixth Century Chair in Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen (UK) and one of the world's leading figures in the field of myth studies. He will be dearly missed.
  • Congratulations to Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter for the publication of their special issue on “Euro-American Esoteric Readings of East Asia” in NVMEN: International Review for the History of Religions.

New Publications

  • Lukas K. Pokorny:
    1. "The Theosophical Daodejing: The Beginnings." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 61–82.
    2. and Franz Winter, eds. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury
    3. and Franz Winter. "China in the Euro-American Esoteric Imagination: Contouring a Lacuna." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 1–14.
    4. "Musok: Koreanischer Schamanismus [Musok: Korean Shamanism]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 293–298.
    5. "Shintō." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 149–154.
    6. "Sōka Gakkai." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 321–325.
    7. "Vereinigungsbewegung [Unification Movement]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke. Religion und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 327–332.
    8. "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.
    9. and Franz Winter, eds. Euro-American Esoteric Readings of East Asia. NVMEN. International Review for the History of Religions (Special Issue), 71 (1).
    10. 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, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht [Religion and Gender], Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter.
    2. "Gerechtigkeit [Justice]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 459–476.
    3. "Geschlechterstereotype [Gender Stereotypes]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 441–455.
    5. "Gewalt [Violence]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 477–491.
    6. "Gottheit und Geschlecht [Deity and Gender]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 425–439.
    7. "Hindu-Religionen [Hindu-Religions]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 89–111.
    8. "Sexualität [Sexuality]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 359–373.
    13. and Edith Franke. "Grundbegriffe [Basic Terminology]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 29–36.
    15. and Edith Franke. "Körper [Body]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 391–406.
    16. and Edith Franke. "Leitkategorien [Central Categories]." In: Birgit Heller and Edith Franke, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen 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, eds. Religionen und Geschlecht, Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 43–47.
  • Julian Strube:
    "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.
    "Daoism and Kung Fu as Occult Sciences. Historical Comparisons between Chinese Practices and Mesmerism." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 15–34.
  • Karl Baier:
    "The Archetypal Dao: A Look at C. G. Jung's Reception of Chinese Thought." In: Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter, eds. 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.
    2. "Alevis and Turkish-Muslims in Austria: History and Current Developments." In: Rauf Ceylan and Marvin Mücke, eds. Muslims in Europe. Historical developments, present issues, and future challenges. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 113–130.
  • Pavel Horák:
    1. 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.
    2. 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).
  • Davide Marino:
    "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. Appropriating the Dao: The Euro-American Esoteric Reception of China. London and New York: Bloomsbury, 83–108.
  • 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. Tibetan Magic: Past and Present. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 193–220.
    2. und Jeanne Mascolo de Filippis. "Présentation." In: Alexandra David-Neel, Souvenirs d'une Parisienne au Thibet. Paris: Plon, 21–47.
  • Human-Friedrich Unterrainer:
    1. et al. "Is there an affective neuroscience of spirituality? The development and validation of the OCEANic feelings scale." Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18:1329226.
    2. et al. "Anxious and depressive symptoms mediate the influence of sleep quality on suicidality in young adults." Frontiers in Public Health, 12:1322069.
    3. et al. "Primäremotionen und Bindung bei psychischer Erkrankung [Primary emotions and attachment in mental disorder]." Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, 70.