Professor Jonathan Miles-Watson

Jonathan Miles-Watson

Professor

Biography	My research has developed over the last 20 years to include religious practice in the Indian Himalayas, faith and civil society, sacred space, ruptured landscapes, pilgrimage, sacred ecologies, material religion, Celtic religions and structuralism. During that period, I have carried out both archival research and extensive fieldwork (in both India and the UK). I have two live research projects: 1) Return to the Cosmic Mountain [sacred mountains], 2) Transformed Ecologies & Northern Trails [new forms of pilgrimage]. I have active, developing, research interests in a) mixed-faith (dual-faith heritage) identities, b) new mythologies, c) postcolonial ownership of displaced material religion. At least one of these will form into something firmer in the coming months.
Research Interests	Anthropology of Religion Fieldwork: India; Himalayas; Himachal Pradesh Anthropology of Christianities South Asian Religions Pahari Ritual Material Religion Mythology (Structuralism)
Teaching and Learning	Over the last decade I have (at Durham) delivered modules in the areas of the study of mythology, pilgrimage, fieldwork methodology, religion in South Asia and the anthropology of religion. I have further contributed to modules that explore the anthropology of Islam and worldviews, as well as modules outside the department in related areas, especially anthropology.