Jessica Annette Albrecht

I’m a scholar of religion and gender, passionate about making academic knowledge accessible and relevant beyond university walls. My research explores how religion, gender, and other aspects of our identities intersect — historically, politically, and globally.

Currently, I’m a research fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies in the Humanities „Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective“ (CAS-E) and part of the Department of Religious Studies at FAU.

From Buddhist psychology to esotericism, from Crip Theory to religion in South Asian and African contexts — I work across disciplines to understand how bodies, practices, and power shape each other.

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What I Do

My work moves between academic research and public conversations. I publish, teach, give talks, host podcasts, and create content that brings critical theory into broader debates — always from an intersectional perspective.

I’m especially interested in:

• esoteric and “alternative” practices
• religious reform movements and their global entanglements
• the politics of embodiment and disability
• gender and queerness in religious spaces
• public scholarship and science communication

You’ll find more on these under Academic Writing and Public Scholarship.

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Recent & Ongoing Projects

Right now, I’m working on:

• Buddhist Psychology and Esotericism
• Buddhism in African Contexts
• Esotericism, Gender & Empire
• Religion and Educational Institutions in the British Empire and Postcolonial South Asia
• Crip Theory and Religious Studies
• Academic activism & science communication (WissKomm)

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Let’s Talk

Whether you’re looking for a guest speaker, want to collaborate, or just curious about what I do – I’m happy to connect.

→ Write an email
→ Check out my Social Media (Substack, Instagram)

Thanks for stopping by!