The Donner Institute

The Donner Institute for Research into Religion and Culture is a private research institute connected to the Åbo Akademi University Foundation. We gather researchers, students and cultural agents and provide a meeting point for research on religion and culture in Finland and in the Nordic countries. We work to strengthen the visibility of research and create spaces where new knowledge can be born.

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News

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New colleagues at the institute

On Tuesday, we welcomed our new colleagues, John Björkman and Andrea Franchetto, who began their positions at the Donner Institute....

Celebrating Research at NCSR

Last week, the Nordic Conference for the Sociology of Religion (NCSR) brought together researchers from across the Nordic region in...

Summer wishes from DI

This week, DI got a new roll-up, which will make its first appearance at the NCSR conference in Turku from...

Research & publications

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Approaching Religion 16/1 – Social Identity Across Time: Interdisciplinary Applications

The new issue of Approaching Religion explores social identities. Religious identities are interwoven in complex ways with ethnic, cultural and other identities. Historical understanding of these identities contributes to the understanding of identity processes and language used in contemporary communities. The issue aims to enhance the dialogue between disciplines and expand our common ground in studying past and present identities and their significance. The issue is based on a workshop organized in 2023 by the project FIDSIT (Finnish Interdisciplinary Study of Social Identity Transmission) and funded by Finnish Cultural Foundation. The workshop was an interdisciplinary endeavour, seeking to bring historical...

Approaching Religion 15/2 on the Witching of Art History. How to Approach Women, Art and Esotericism

The new issue of Approaching Religion, ‘The Witching of Art History’ examines how women and artists beyond gender binaries have navigated...

The Donner Institute Research Prize awarded to Andrea Franchetto and Bjarke Stanley Nielsen

The Donner Institute for Research into Religion and Culture has decided to award its 2025 Research Prize to Dr Andrea...

Approaching Religion 15/1 on lived religion and lived theology

The new issue of Approaching Religion presents perspectives on lived religion and lived theology. The issue is a Polin issue...

Events

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Book of the month

Handbook of Contemporary Religion, Film, and Television. 2026. Carole M. Cusack and Venetia Laura Delano Robertson (eds.), Brill. Since the turn of the millennium, research...