Mikael Aktor

Job and other postitions
2018- Vice chairman in the corps of external examiners for Global Language- and Area Studies with chairman responsibility for Indology, Modern South Asia Studies, Tibetology and South East Asia Studies (Indonesian and Thai)
2014-18 Vice chairman in the corps of external examiners for Indology and South Asia studies
2013 Member of the corps of external examiners for Indology and South Asia studies
2008- Associate Professor of study of religions, University of Southern Denmark
2006- Member of the corps of examiners for Study of Religions
2005-07 Assistent Lecturer of Study of Religions, University of Southern Denmark
1999-2004 Assistent Professor of Study of Religions, University of Southern Denmark

Conference organization
2015 Convenor of three panels "Exploring Aniconism (1-3)" at the IAHR (International Association for the History of Religion) XXIst World Congress, Erfurt, 23-29 August 2015; co-convened by Milette Gaifman, Yale University.
2012 Convenor of the panel “Objects of Worship in the Lived Religions of South Asia: Forms, Practices and Meanings”, at 22nd European Conference on South Asian Studies, Lisbon, 25.-28. July 2012; co-convened by Knut A. Jacobsen and Kristina Myrvold.
2010 Convenor of the panel “Goddesses and Women: The Interchange of Divine and Human Aspects of Women in South Asian Religious Traditions”, IAHR’s (International Association for the History of Religions) XXh Quinquennial World Congress, Toronto, Canada.
2000 Convenor of the two-day panel “The Upaniṣads, Focus and Perspectives” at IAHR’s (International Association for the History of Religions) XVIIIth Quinquennial World Congress, Durban, South Africa.
1998 Convenor of the two-day panel "Untouchability - past and present" at 15th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Charles University, Prague.

Field work
September-November 2014, Kathmandu and Muktinath, Nepal; Patna, Srikalahasti, Chennai, Thanjavur, India. Collection of material on the Pañcāyatanapūjā and four of the five stones worshipped in this.
December-January 2012-13, Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, India. Collection of material and information on Bāṇaliṅga production.
January-May 2011. Varanasi, Ballia, Khajuraho and Madurai, India. Collection of material for research on Śivaliṅga iconography, practice, and interpretation.
15.-24. april, 2006. Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Tokyo and Osaka.
2004-2006. Soka Gakkai Denmark.

Education
1998 PhD in History of Religions, University of Copenhagen.
1995-1996 Guest researcher at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
1993 MA in History of Religions, University of Copenhagen.
1989 BA in History of Religions, University of Copenhagen.
1988-91 Courses and exams in Sanskrit and Pali, University of Copenhagen.

Hinduism
Ritual, Ritual objects, Iconography, Classical Hindu Law (dharmaśāstra).

In generel
Ritual Studies, Material Religion.

Other interests
Buddhism, Jainism, East Asian Religions. Contemporary India. Religions of Brazil.