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Title Research Associate, Transcendentalism

School Harvard Divinity School

Department/Area Center for the Study of World Religions

Position Description

The Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School invites applications for a one-year paid Research Associate position as part of the Transcendence and Transformation (T&T) Initiative. The candidate will work under the supervision of the Faculty Director of the Center, Professor Charles Stang. Please see the CSWR website at this link (https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/transcendence-transformation) for more information before applying.

The appointment will begin on January 1, 2026 and end December 31, 2026. There is potential for a renewed appointment pending progress and funding.

Research Focus and Initiative Context

The Transcendence and Transformation Initiative is devoted to the study of religious and spiritual traditions and practices—ancient and modern, global in reach—that aim to transcend our normal states of being, consciousness, and embodiment, and thus to transform the individual, community, and society. This initiative affirms the existence of the sacred, different levels of reality (seen and unseen), and different modes of access to them. The initiative investigates “metaphysics and mysticism”—traditions across time, people, and place that have cultivated practices of transcendence and transformation, and have articulated scaffolded worldviews to make sense of those practices.

The CSWR’s Transcendentalism Program specifically reimagines American Transcendentalism as a living tradition that continues to shape religious, ethical, and political imaginations. Rooted in the revolutionary thought of figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller, Transcendentalism emerged within the theological and philosophical ferment of nineteenth-century New England, challenging inherited orthodoxy and proposing new forms of spiritual insight, self-cultivation, and social reform. The tradition remains unfinished—its foundational principles of intellectual openness, moral imagination, responsiveness to nature, and belief in the transformative potential of individuals in relation to political community invite renewed inquiry. The Program seeks to recover and revise Transcendentalism as a resource for religious, political, and ecological renewal, holding in creative balance both its transformative potential and its limitations, including questions of individualism and structural forms of injustice.

Position Responsibilities

Research Project: Candidates will pursue a research project in Transcendentalism that aligns with the Center’s Transcendence and Transformation Initiative. Research areas may include, but are not limited to:

+ The epistemology of transcendent experiences and their translation into public discourse

+ The intersection of transcendentalism with environmental thought and American religious environmentalism

+ The role of race, religion, and environment in transcendentalist thought and its contemporary applications

+ Transcendentalist approaches to individual transformation and social reform

+ Comparative studies of transcendentalist practices with global mystical and contemplative traditions

+ The influence of transcendentalist thought on contemporary spiritual movements and “spiritual but not religious” communities

We are especially interested in scholars who bring historical, philosophical, or comparative religious approaches to their research. Preference will be given to those candidates who are conversant with traditions beyond their own primary specialization and who can engage with the broader themes of the T&T Initiative.

Publication and Curatorial Work: The Research Associate will curate and contribute to a scholarly publication—an edited volume based on guest essays—that explores transcendentalism within the framework of the T&T Initiative.

Program Development: The Research Associate will work on envisioning and developing the Center’s programming within the Transcendentalism Program, including workshops, lecture series, reading groups, and other scholarly activities that advance the Program’s mission.

Employment Conditions

The position will be based at the CSWR . Candidates are expected to reside in the Massachusetts or New England area and in commuting distance from the CSWR for the duration of the fellowship.

Extensive writing experience and publication record in relevant research areas.

Salary Range

Starting salary for this position is anticipated to be $70,000 per year.

Basic Qualifications

+ PhD in Religion, Religious Studies, Philosophy, American Studies, Environmental Studies, or related field

+ 3+ years of post-PhD research and academic experience

+ Demonstrated expertise in Transcendentalism and its historical, philosophical, or religious dimensions

+ Strong research and writing skills with a track record of scholarly publication

+ Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment

+ Commitment to the comparative and cross-cultural study of religious traditions

Additional Qualifications

+ Background in comparative religious studies or philosophy of religion

+ Interest in contemporary applications of transcendentalist thought

+ Experience with editorial work or collaborative scholarly projects

Special Instructions

Applications are due by October 31, 2025.

Contact Information

Gosia Sklodowska, Executive Director, CSWR

42 Francis Ave

Cambridge, MA 02138

Contact Email [email protected]

Salary Range

Starting salary for this position is anticipated to be $70,000 per year.

Minimum Number of References Required 3

Maximum Number of References Allowed 3

Keywords

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Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes.

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