Department Faculty

“I am interested in the following areas: History of Religions of South Asia; Relationship between Religion and Literature in South Asia; Role of English Language in the Formation of Contemporary South Asian Literary and Religious Traditions; and Science and Religion. My research interest spans two aspects of the South Asian Religious and Cultural Traditions. First, I am interested in tracing the evolution of religious ideals within Hinduism through its oral as well as written tradition. I have published in Asian Folklore Studies on the topic of contemporary Hindu women's ritual tales and how such stories may influence the social and religious views of contemporary Hindu women. Second, I am interested in studying how the current generation of South Asian writers has created a niche within the broader English literary tradition, and how this recent development may influence the traditional religious and cultural outlook in South Asia. I have published in Contemporary Literature on this topic and I am engaged in a book length project on this topic. Finally, I have become interested in the relationship between Science and Religion, and am exploring ways in which the public understanding Science can be enhanced through general education courses in the undergraduate humanities curriculum. I have also developed a web based version of the popular course on world religions at Penn State.”