The Center for the Study of Religion hosts a short-term visiting scholar program one or two times per academic year. Building on a successful pilot program held in March 2023, this initiative aims to support contingent and independent scholars by bringing them to campus for a short-term residency and offering opportunities to participate in the center’s intellectual community. During their stay, the visiting scholar will offer a public research lecture, visit with students and classes, and participate in other center initiatives, such as our regular writing and reading groups. Depending on the scholar’s interests, additional events may be scheduled, such as a community lecture for audiences beyond the university.
The visiting scholar for Autumn 2024 is Meera Jo Kachroo (PhD, McGill University), a Post-Doctoral Fellow affiliated with the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health and the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology in the College of Medicine. Meera is an experienced ethnographer, whose doctoral research brought focus to contemporary south Indian Śrīvidyā ritual communities. Her current research includes medical anthropology and intervention studies, co-created by on-reserve members of several Treaty 6 First Nations in Canada. Meera’s research interests include esotericism, meditation and yoga, interculturality and Indigenous ceremony and spirituality.
Dr. Kachroo will be on the OSU campus from September 16-20, 2024. In her role as visiting scholar, she will offer a public research lecture on September 18 at 4:00 in 198 Hagerty Hall, titled "Publicity, Secrecy and Esotericism in the Contemporary Tantric Maṇḍalī." In addition, she will present a public community lecture, "Yoga Knowledge (in) Translation: Reflections on a Biomedical Yoga Intervention in two First Nations Communities," (date, time and location TBD).
In addition, Dr. Kachroo will visit classes, meet with graduate students and participate in other center initiatives, such as CSR's monthly reading group and biweekly writing group. Other events are being planned, so refer to our "Events" page for further details about Dr. Kachroo's community activities.
To read about the Spring 2024 visiting scholars and their events on OSU campus, follow this link.
Applications for the program are currently closed, but a new round of applications will be announced in the next academic year. To read the application requirements from the previous round, please see our news item here.
For more information, please contact the director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Isaac Weiner: weiner.141@osu.edu.