The department welcomes inquiries from potential research students in any aspect of religious studies.
There is significant expertise at Chester that focuses on lived religion and spirituality, drawing on anthrolopological, ethnographic and more broadly qualitative methodologies. There is research specialism in aspects of a number of religions of the world such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The religious studies team also offer expertise in the role of religion and spirituality in relation to contemporary culture and society. The department has four experts working in religious studies and their research areas are detailed below. Please do make contact with one of the scholars listed here if you are interested in pursuing a research degree with them. Alternatively, for more general enquiries, please contact trs@chester.ac.uk.
Dr Wendy Dossett
Wendy Dossett’s research interests are broadly focussed on Buddhism, religious education and spirituality and addiction. Her specialist research areas include:
- Japanese Pure Land Buddhism
- Religious education and community cohesion
- The interface between religions, spirituality and education
- Spirituality and addiction.
Dr Steve Knowles
With broad research interests in religion, spirituality and contemporary popular culture, Steve Knowles’ particular research interests focus on:
- The influence of spirituality/religion in popular music
- Charismatic Christianity
- Postmodern philosophy and theology
- Contemporary apocalyptic beliefs
Dr Dawn Llewellyn
With broad research interests in gender and religion as well as women’s reading practices Dawn Llewellyn’s particular research interests focus on:
- Feminist theology and hermeneutics
- Religion and literature
- Reader-response studies
- Qualitative methodologies and methods
- Motherhood and voluntary childlessnes
Dr Caroline Tee
Dr Tee is a social anthropologist working on contemporary Islam, with a primary geographical focus on modern Turkey. Her areas of research expertise are:
- Religious groups in turkey (the Alevis, the Gülen Movement)
- Religion and politics in Turkey
- Social anthropology of Islam
- Ethnography of religious scripture
- Muslims in the UK