A new VICI Project led by Dr. Petra Sijpesteijn. More information on the PhD and postdoc postiions will be published soon

A new VICI Project led by Dr. Petra Sijpesteijn. The Call for 2 PhDs and a Post-Doc is out now.

How can the importance of the image in late medieval spirituality be understood in the context of the love mysticism inspired by the imagery of the Song of Songs?

This study describes religion in Java.

By analysing neglected (continental) spy centres and integrating these groups of female intelligencers into the traditional, male-orientated historical narratives, this project will proceed towards a gendered history of early modern espionage.

In Sri Lanka, a prominent Singhalese Buddhist monk publicly proclaims that it is not a sin to kill Tamils. In Japan, the family register kept in a Buddhist temple and specifying the outcaste status of a lineage is provided to private detectives investigating the marriageability of a young woman. Throughout…

On 17 November 2021, Cyril-Igor Grigorieff defended the thesis 'The Regime for International Air Carrier Liability'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. P. Mendes de Leon and Prof. V. Correia (University Paris Saclay).

From October 1-3, 2017, the 24th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium was held at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA. The Symposium was attended by 100 participants, from 50 different countries, while interpretation at the venue was available in 11 languages (Arabic, French, Italian,…

The acquisition and administration of the possessions of the “Teutonic House” in Utrecht, and its dependencies, in the Middle Ages until c.1600.

How do religious narratives persuade their readers to believe their message? And how can it be that some readers even come to treat fantasy and science fiction as authoritative religious texts? These are the core questions treated in Markus Davidsen’s new book Narrative and Belief: The Religious Affordance…

Within the Comparative Religion Network staff and graduate students from LIAS-LUCSoR (and beyond) discuss ongoing work and cooperate on key issues in the comparative and systematic study of religion.

This research evaluates the Youth Act. It will provide an overview of how the transition takes place, whether the transformation process develops in the right direction and whether the legal safeguards are functioning properly.

What forms does Muslim religiosity take in daily life? What is the relation between representations of Islam and Muslims by scholars and the views that exist in the ‘real world’?

On 2 May, Sophie Starrenburg defended the thesis 'Striking a balance between local and global interests: communities and cultural heritage protection in public international law'. The doctoral research was supervised by Nico Schrijver and Yvonne Donders.

This dissertation is concerned with the study of the less than twenty remaining precolonial Mesoamerican codices. By considering these rare and fragile pictographic and hieroglyphic books from the cultural biography perspective, many different aspects of these books can be studied.

Religious Studies at Leiden University allows you to study a broad spectrum of religions and their manifestations.

It gives us great pleasure to report that the search for a University Lecturer in Christianity in the Modern World has resulted in the appointment of Corey Williams, starting January 2015.

LUCSoR faculty work closely together with societal partners on issues related to religious education and religion in society.

Volume 4 and 5 of the Leiden series 'Dutch Sources on South Asia' are now available, written by Markus Vink (vol.4) and Carolien Stolte (vol.5).

From Incident to Precedent

This research programme encourages the analysis of nascent Islam within the framework of religious studies.

This subproject examines how memories of flight and persecution shaped new social and religious identities in the Netherlands.

Religion in the ancient world, and ancient Egyptian religion in particular, is often perceived as static, hierarchically organised, and centred on priests, tombs, and temples. Engagement with archaeological and textual evidence dispels these beguiling if superficial narratives, however. Individuals…

Noah Millman defended his thesis on 26 May 2015

In recent decades, the Netherlands’ struggle with multiculturalism has caused an upsurge in public interest in the relationship between state and religion. In this, the Dutch address a subject relevant not just to them, but to all of Europe.

Time, Religion and Sacred Discourses of the Ayuuk People

Find out how to apply for Religious Studies at Leiden University by following our step-by step guide.

On Thursday 8 December, Fred van Haasteren has defended his doctoral thesis ‘Fatsoenlijke flexibiliteit – De invloed van ILO-conventie 181 en de regelgeving omtrent uitzendarbeid’ (Decent flexibility - The influence of ILO Convention 181 and legislation on temporary agency work) at the Academy Building…

Examining if large scale application of new energy pathways can be constrained by materials and emissions.

Ms. Anaïs Massot defended her thesis on 26 January 2021

On 27 June 2019, Barry Bussey defended his thesis 'The Legal Revolution Against the Accommodation of Religion: The Secular Age v. The Sexular Age'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. dr. P.B. Cliteur.

Michiel Pronk defended his thesis on 30 March 2016

This project, executed by Marieke Hendriksen MA MRes, aims at an analysis of how the early modern anatomical collections of Leiden University were rooted in ideals of perfection in different fields of knowledge and expertise.

At Leiden University you can study Islam and Muslim societies within two Dutch-language BA and various MA programmes and specializations.

On 12 January 2023 ms. Nor Ismah successfully defended a doctoral thesis and graduated.

This special issue of Contemporary Levant critically explores, at a micro and macro level, the structural role and religious, cultural and political interactions of the Greek-Orthodox, Melkite and Syriac communities in late Ottoman and Mandate Syria and Palestine.

On February 20th, Gulnaz Sibgatullina succesfully defended her doctoral thesis and graduated. The Leiden University Centre for Linguistics congratulates Gulnaz on this great result.

Steven Frost defended his thesis on 6 June 2017

To what extent does the Law Ombudsperson for Children achieve its goals as intended by the legislator when introducing the law?

How does the religious identity of islamic primary schools in the Netherlands relate to the social demands?

Aspects of Religious Leadership in Europe, 1100-2000

The Leiden Jewish Studies Association awarded the inaugural “Best Thesis in Jewish Studies” in December 2023.

This book published by Oxford University Press discusses religion and trade in world history.

In this publication, May Tamimova and Tahir Abbas researched the existing literature about violence and hatred against places of worship.

LIAS is comprised of three research schools with expertise in different areas:

The Modern Devotion: pone of the most influential religious initiatives in the late medieval Low Countries.

Mr. S. Al Daghistani defended his thesis on 30 November 2017