Ajay Verghese
@ajayverghese.bsky.social
Political scientist at Middlebury College: India, religion (Hinduism), ethnic violence, history, and qualitative/mixed methods. Dad.
I think the main problem with existing definitions of religion is that they also work for other items like "magic" or "astrology" or "Alcoholics Anonymous." Read my paper that tries to differentiate religion from other "supernaturalisms."
papers.ssrn.com/abstract=577...
papers.ssrn.com/abstract=577...
November 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I think the main problem with existing definitions of religion is that they also work for other items like "magic" or "astrology" or "Alcoholics Anonymous." Read my paper that tries to differentiate religion from other "supernaturalisms."
papers.ssrn.com/abstract=577...
papers.ssrn.com/abstract=577...
I have been thinking about writing this paper for over a decade: my definition and conceptualization of "religion." No idea if any of this makes sense. Feedback welcome. Enjoy!
t.co/ykdwhEAEsK
t.co/ykdwhEAEsK
November 21, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I have been thinking about writing this paper for over a decade: my definition and conceptualization of "religion." No idea if any of this makes sense. Feedback welcome. Enjoy!
t.co/ykdwhEAEsK
t.co/ykdwhEAEsK
Check out my review of some exciting new books in qualitative methods!
November 7, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Check out my review of some exciting new books in qualitative methods!
Are you interested in the study of religion but tired of reading about Christianity? Boy do I have the article for you! Now under review.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
June 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Are you interested in the study of religion but tired of reading about Christianity? Boy do I have the article for you! Now under review.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Happy first birthday to my article submission to [will potentially reveal journal name in the future to shame them]! A whole year, my baby is growing up.
April 24, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Happy first birthday to my article submission to [will potentially reveal journal name in the future to shame them]! A whole year, my baby is growing up.
New seminar this fall:
April 22, 2025 at 2:40 PM
New seminar this fall:
New paper on how to conceptualize and measure Hindu religiosity, been working on this one for several years. Feedback welcome!
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
April 29, 2024 at 3:37 PM
New paper on how to conceptualize and measure Hindu religiosity, been working on this one for several years. Feedback welcome!
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Revised and resubmitted -- an updated version of my paper on studying history like an experiment: "Randomized Controlled History?" papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
April 19, 2024 at 4:13 PM
Revised and resubmitted -- an updated version of my paper on studying history like an experiment: "Randomized Controlled History?" papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Happy pitchers and catchers report day!
February 14, 2024 at 5:15 PM
Happy pitchers and catchers report day!
Coming to the capital this summer (with significantly more gray hair). Where my DC peeps?
February 12, 2024 at 4:01 PM
Coming to the capital this summer (with significantly more gray hair). Where my DC peeps?
NYT headline. Amplified by whom I wonder?
February 10, 2024 at 4:55 PM
NYT headline. Amplified by whom I wonder?
New working paper alert -- some concerns about treating history like an experiment, including in my own work.
t.co/qi1gSM6yXj
t.co/qi1gSM6yXj
January 22, 2024 at 1:24 PM
New working paper alert -- some concerns about treating history like an experiment, including in my own work.
t.co/qi1gSM6yXj
t.co/qi1gSM6yXj
How January is going in Middlebury
January 12, 2024 at 2:07 PM
How January is going in Middlebury
He's the reason for the season
December 23, 2023 at 2:00 PM
He's the reason for the season
Whenever my kids yell at me or my wife (also an academic):
December 14, 2023 at 5:56 PM
Whenever my kids yell at me or my wife (also an academic):
Me trying to get an Indian research visa:
November 17, 2023 at 3:49 PM
Me trying to get an Indian research visa:
Really miss the amazing engagement I had on Elon's Twitter
November 6, 2023 at 5:37 PM
Really miss the amazing engagement I had on Elon's Twitter
Update on my mental health:
October 4, 2023 at 1:48 PM
Update on my mental health:
Me reading yet another "natural experiment of history"
September 28, 2023 at 7:50 PM
Me reading yet another "natural experiment of history"
Think my fortune cookies are trying to tell me something about writing
September 21, 2023 at 3:01 PM
Think my fortune cookies are trying to tell me something about writing
TFW I see that all my friends have escaped Twitter and are on here now
September 20, 2023 at 6:15 PM
TFW I see that all my friends have escaped Twitter and are on here now
Sabbatical is going well. A little lonely. It's getting cold in Vermont now. But everything is fine. It's fine.
September 18, 2023 at 1:25 PM
Sabbatical is going well. A little lonely. It's getting cold in Vermont now. But everything is fine. It's fine.
