Dr. Sebastian Schüler (Leipzig University)

Sebastian Schüler was working as an assistant researcher at the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics in Premodern and Modern Cultures” at the University of Münster with a project on transnational Pentecostal prayer networks. He studied Religious Studies and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Frankfurt and completed his studies in 2004. Afterwards, he was a doctoral student in the Study of Religion at the Universities in Leipzig and Münster. He completed his dissertation in September 2009 with the title: “Religion, Cognition, Evolution – A Study of Religion Approach to the Cognitive Science of Religion”. In the years 2006 to 2009, he was also assistant researcher and lecturer at the Seminary for the Study of Religions at the University of Münster.

In his research project, Sebastian Schüler examined the transnational connections of Pentecostal Prayer Networks and Prayer Centers. Particularly he focussed on the discursive construction of ‘sacred’ landscapes and their influence on religious identity politics as well as on the role of ritual practice for the institutionalization of religious networks.

His research interests are global Pentecostalism, religious transnationalism, interaction rituals, embodiment, methods and theories in the Study of Religion.