Mikael Aktor ~ Material Religions

Mikael Aktor is Associate Professor at the Institute of History – Study of Religions, University of Southern Denmark. He earned his PhD in History of Religions from the University of Copenhagen. His research has been focused on two particular subjects. One is the study of ancient and medieval Hindu law with a special focus on rules of Untouchability, the other is Material Religion in general and aniconic objects of worship in the Hindu tradition in particular. His publications include: Objects of Worship in South Asian Religions, edited with Knut A. Jacobsen and Kristina Myrvold, Routledge, 2015; “Negotiating Karma: Penance in the Classical Indian Law Books”, in Negotiating Rites, edited by Ute Hüsken and Frank Neubert, Oxford University Press, 2012; Ritualisation and Segregation: The Untouchability Complex in Indian dharma literature, CESMEO, 2008; “Rules of Untouchability in Ancient and Medieval Law Books: Householders, Competence and Inauspiciousness”, in International Journal of Hindu Studies, 6, 3, 2002.

Research Interests: Aniconism, Iconography, Ritual, Material Religion, Hindu law.

Profile at University of Southern Denmark