PhD Workshop: Critical Approaches in the Study of Religions – Methodology and Materiality

The workshop brings together doctoral students and Swedish and international scholars to explore how attention to objects, bodies, spaces, collections, heritage, visual culture, and digital environments can contribute to the critical and comparative study of religion. Materiality will be approached not only as an empirical field of study but as a critical category that raises broader methodological and theoretical questions for research on religion.

The programme combines keynote lectures with intensive discussion of doctoral research. Confirmed speakers include Aaron Hughes (History of Religions, University of Rochester/Stockholm University), Gro Ween (Anthropology, University of Oslo/Museum of Cultural History), and Jonas Svensson (Study of Religions, Linnaeus University). Their contributions address critical approaches to materiality, Sámi Indigenous objects and museums, and AI-augmented research methods.

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from PhD students across the humanities and related disciplines. Projects do not need to have material religion as their primary focus. We particularly encourage applications from doctoral students interested in exploring how materiality, broadly understood, may raise methodological or theoretical questions relevant to their research.
PhD students within the Humanities Faculty Graduate School at Stockholm University will be given priority. PhD students from other Swedish and international universities are warmly encouraged to apply.

More information and application