Karen O'Brien-Kop

Dr Karen O'Brien-Kop is Lecturer in Asian Religions and Ethics at the University of Roehampton. She researches early South and Central Asian Sanskrit texts and culture on meditation, philosophy of mind, and mind-body practices such as yoga and asceticism – in particular exploring the interconnections of Hinduism and Buddhism. More broadly, her research interests are Indian religion and philosophy, theory and method in the study of religion, global philosophies, critical theory, decolonial thought and literary studies.

She has published a monograph, ‘Rethinking “Classical Yoga”: Meditation, Metaphors and Materiality’ (Bloomsbury 2021) and co-edited The Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies (Routledge 2020) with Dr Suzanne Newcombe. She has published in various journals, including Journal of Indian Philosophy and Religions. Her PhD was undertaken at SOAS University of London, where she previously worked as a Senior Teaching Fellow. Karen is co-chair of the Spalding Symposium on Indian Religions and the Indian and Chinese Religions Compared Unit at the American Academy of Religion. She has recently joined the journal Religions of South Asia (Equinox Publishing) as a co-editor.

Current research project 2020-2021 funded by The Southlands Methodist Trust: Phiroz Mehta: A Social History of an Indian Philosopher in South London, 1970s-1980s, and his Impact on the Development of Yoga and Meditation in Britain

PhD Supervision:

Jared Jones: 'Being and Emptiness: Critique of Euro-American Ontologies from a Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist Perspective' (Working title) [Primary Supervisor]

Victoria Oladipupo: 'African Pentecostalism and Gender: An Analysis of the Transnational Role of Women in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Lagos and Nigeria)' [Co-Supervisor]

Currently teaching 2021-2022:

Transforming Cultures: Ecology / Gender / Politics (BA)

The Study of Religion (BA)

Yoga, Meditation and Health (BA)

Contemporary Issues in Global Religions (BA)

Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion (MA)

Previously taught 2016-2020:

Indian Philosophy and Religion (BA)

Contemporary Issues in Hinduism (BA)

Modern Indian Philosophy (BA)

Religions of Ancient India (MA)

Traditions of Yoga in Ancient India (MA)