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.

Time to nominate a candidate for the 2026 Donner Institute Research Prize

The Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History hereby calls for nominations for its annual prize for outstanding...

Scholarship holders 2026

We are proud to present our scholarship holders 2026! We warmly congratulate this year’s recipients and look forward to following...

Seminar “Research Ethics and AI”

Welcome to the seminar Research Ethics and AI in Research, organized by the Turku Hub for Research on Religion in...

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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Wed
20.05.

Seminar: Research Ethics and AI in Research

On May 20, from 10 to 17 a clock, the Turku Hub for Research on Religion, together with the Polin-institute, the Donner Institute and Centre for the Study of Christian Cultures will be organizing an open seminar on the topic Research Ethics and AI in Research.

Book of the month

Inventing the Church is an impressive and ambitious book. Its central argument is that the official narrative of the Catholic Church does not correspond to...