Oxford Conference on Academic Exploration of Bhakti in Indian Philosophy
Date and Venue:
16 and 17 April 2026
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies,
1 Pusey Lane,
Oxford OX1 2LE
About
Bhakti has been central to the intellectual, ethical, and cultural history of South Asia, shaping philosophical reflection, poetic expression, social life, and spiritual practice across centuries. Yet despite its depth, diversity, and mass appeal, Bhakti remains comparatively under-theorised within academic philosophy and is often approached in a fragmented manner across disciplines.
The Oxford Conference on Academic Exploration of Bhakti in Indian Philosophy aims to bring together scholars working on Bhakti across philosophy, philology, ethics, science, intellectual history, and lived religious practice. The conference seeks to examine Bhakti not merely as a devotional or cultural phenomenon, but as a philosophically rich tradition offering sustained reflection on selfhood, agency, value, relationality, philosophical counseling and transformative practice.
A central aim of the conference is to reflect on the continuing relevance of Bhakti traditions for contemporary philosophical inquiry, including ethics, epistemology, philosophy of religion, and applied philosophy. In doing so, the conference foregrounds methodological questions: how should Bhakti be studied philosophically, and how can textual, historical, and practice-based approaches be brought into meaningful dialogue?
A particular strand of the conference reflects on the legacy of Prof. R. D. Ranade, whose foundational work on Bhakti, mysticism, and Nirguni traditions exemplifies a philosophically rigorous and integrative approach to Indian intellectual traditions. At the same time, the conference remains open to broader classical and modern engagements with Bhakti across regions, languages, and traditions.
In addition to academic panels, the conference includes dialogical and practice-oriented sessions that bring scholarly analysis into conversation with lived spiritual experience, while maintaining a clear commitment to academic rigor.
The conference will include keynote lectures, invited panels, dialogical sessions, spiritual addresses, and presentations by doctoral students and early-career researchers.
The event will be held in a hybrid format to facilitate international participation.
Keynote Speakers
With the support from scholars:
Professor Jim Mallinson from Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
The Academy of Comparative Philosophy and Religion (ACPR)
Invited Speakers from the USA, UK, India and Europe
Themes and Topics
The conference invites paper proposals on (but not limited to) the following themes:
Foundations and Method
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Bhakti as Philosophy
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Epistemology of Bhakti
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Bhakti and Ethics
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Bhakti as a Living Tradition
Texts, Traditions, and History
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Poetry and Philosophy of Bhakti in India
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Regional Bhakti Traditions
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Intellectual and Historical Relevance of the Bhakti Movement
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The Works and Legacy of Prof. R. D. Ranade
Practice, Application, and Contemporary Relevance
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Bhakti and Philosophical Counselling
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Bhakti as Transformative Practice
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Global Expressions and Contemporary Forms of Bhakti
Interdisciplinary and Dialogical Explorations
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Bhakti and Science
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Bhakti, Consciousness, and Contemporary Thought .
The conference welcomes participation from doctoral students, early-career scholars, philosophers of religion, scholars of Indian philosophy, Ranade scholars, and practitioners of philosophical counselling engaging with Bhakti traditions.
Call for Papers
Interested participants are required to fill the call for papers form. Please find the link here.
Participants must submit their abstracts by 15 February 2026 and the full paper by 15 March 2026.
Organising Team
Conference Convener:Dr. Ashwini Mokashi, University of Oxford
Co-host: Dr. Fozia Tenvir, University of Oxford
Student Committee: Nitish Rai Parwani
Registration
Due to the invitees-only nature of the conference, selected papers of Oxford students and early researchers will be given a chance to attend the conference in person. In person attendees will be contacted separately.
The conference is open to all interested in attending online.
Online attendees must register. Please find the link here.
