Käte Hamburger Kolleg (KHK) "Dynamics in the History of Religions between Asia and Europe"

In 2007 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research launched the initiative 'Freedom for Research in the Humanities.' Concomitantly the Käte Hamburger institutes for research in the humanities were introduced as an innovative funding measure. Their goal is to effectively establish core research areas in the humanities at German universities enabling them to compete internationally and also to promote world-wide collaborations with universities and other research facilities. This is achieved by combining the benefits of individual and cooperative research through a fellowship programme. Every year internationally renowned scholars from the humanities are invited to conduct research at the Käte Hamburger institutes for a prolonged period as visiting research fellows. During their residence these scholars are freed from administrative and teaching obligations, giving them the opportunity to concentrate on their individual research and the scientific exchange with their fellow scholars present at the respective institute.

Advanced Studies in Bochum

The Käte Hamburger Kolleg 'Dynamics in the History of Religions between Asia and Europe' commenced its research activities under the direction of Prof. Dr. Volkhard Krech in April 2008. In addition to the visiting research fellows, numerous local scholars from Ruhr-University are involved in the institute's research programme, which brings together scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines: religious studies, Classics, Protestant and Catholic theologies, Islamic studies, Japanese studies, Korean studies, Sinology, Indology, Jewish studies, history, and philosophy.

What It Is About 

The research programme focuses on the formation and expansion of religions, the mutual permeation of religious traditions and their densifications into the complex figurations called 'world religions.' Regionally, the research covers these phenomena in Europe and Asia. The academic goal is to establish and test a typology of contacts of religions and an overarching theory regarding the transfer of religions. Fundamental results are published in the academic series 'Dynamics in the History of Religions' with Brill and the online journal 'Entangled Religions' is edited at Ruhr University Bochum.