Anthropology, South Asia, Goddess traditions, Tantra, Ontology, Ritual Studies, Decolonialism

Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2023–2024
Centre for Advanced Studies ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective’, FAU
(Germany)

PhD, Religions and Philosophies 2015–2022
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Teaching Fellowship 2018–2021
Professional Development in Higher Education Programme (FHEA), University of London (UK)

MPhil, Anthropology 2013–2015
University of Hyderabad (IN)

MA, South Asian Area Studies 2006–2007
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Teaching Fellow, Politics and International Studies Dept. 2022–2023
SOAS, University of London (UK)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Religions and Philosophies Dept. 2018–2020
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Decolonial Subversions 2018–present

Dr Monika Hirmer is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS-E) ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective’ at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität, Erlangen–Nürnberg (Germany), where she researches tantra from a cross-cultural perspective.

Monika’s area of research lies at the intersection of anthropology and philosophy and spans Goddess traditions, tantric traditions, non-anthropocentric cosmologies and ontologies, and decolonial studies, with a focus on South Asia. She obtained her PhD in Religions and Philosophies from SOAS, University of London, preceded by an MPhil in Anthropology of Religion from the University of Hyderabad, India, and an MA in South Asian Area Studies from SOAS. She also holds a BA in Political Sciences from the University of Florence, Italy.
Monika is a certified Teaching Fellow (FHEA) who has been teaching at SOAS in the departments of Religions and Philosophies and Politics and International Studies. In 2020 Monika co-founded the open access, multilingual and peer reviewed publishing platform Decolonial Subversions, of which she is Co-Editor-in-Chief.

Selected Articles

Hirmer M. Forthcoming 2025. ‘‘When the “Esoteric” Strikes Back: Revising the Field of Tantric Studies’. Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, Special Issue Magic, Supernatural and Danger.

Hirmer M. 2024. ‘Introducing a New, Radically Inclusive, Decolonial Knowledge Landscape’. Decolonial Subversions Special Issue Vernacular Cultures of South Asia: 1–12.

Hirmer M. 2022. “Let Us Now Invoke the Three Celestial Lights of Fire, Sun and Moon into Ourselves”: Magic or Everyday Practice? A Critique of Magic for an Emic Approach to Śrīvidyā’. In Tantra, Magic and Vernacular Religions in Monsoon Asia: Texts, Practices, and Practitioners from the Margins, edited by Andrea Acri and Paolo E. Rosati. Studies in Tantric Traditions. Routledge.

Hirmer M. 2022. ‘The Self as Combination of Deities and Yantras: Divinisation Rituals among Contemporary Śrīvidyā Practitioners in India’. Edited by Terje Sparby. Religions 13 (738): 1–21.

Hirmer M. 2021. ‘“Devī Needs Those Rituals!” Ontological Considerations on Ritual Transformations in a Contemporary South Indian Śrīvidyā Tradition’. Religions of South Asia 14 (1–2): 117–49.

Hirmer M. 2020. ‘A Manifesto for Decolonial Subversions’. Decolonial Subversions I: 120-130.

Hirmer M. 2019. ‘Reflections on Salient Features in Clifford Geertz’s Interpretive Approach to Cultural Analysis’. Satis 1 (1): 1–8.

Hirmer M. 2018. ‘The Art of Telangana Women and the Crafting of the Decolonial Subject. From Dialectics of “Othering” to Expressions of Radical Alterity’. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research 11.

Hirmer M. 2018. ‘Taking Cringe Pop Seriously’. Economic and Political Weekly LIII (18): 62–63.

Hirmer M. 2016. ‘The Gaze’. Economic and Political Weekly LI (11): 92–93.

Hirmer M. 2016. ‘Looking for the Indian Woman’s Identity: Discrepancies and Power Imbalances Across Theory and Popular Culture’. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research 9: 7–23.

 

Edited Volumes

  1. Decolonial Subversions Special Issue ‘Vernacular Cultures of South Asia.
  2. Decolonial Subversions Vol 3: ‘New Beginnings’ [with Romina Istratii].
  3. Decolonial Subversions Vol 2: ‘A Time for Change’ [with Romina Istratii].
  4. Decolonial Subversions Vol 1: ‘Cross-Cultural Engagements in Decolonial Times: Subverting Eurocentric Structures, Epistemologies and Ontologies’ [with Romina Istratii].
  5. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol: 11: ‘Decolonisation in Praxis‘ [with Romina Istratii and Iris Lim].
  6. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol 10: ‘Exploring Fluid Times: Knowledge, Minds and Bodies’ [with Romina Istratii].
  7. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol 9: ‘Identities: Power and Politics’ [with Romina Istratii].
Anthropology, South Asia, Goddess traditions, Tantra, Ontology, Ritual Studies, Decolonialism

Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2023–2024
Centre for Advanced Studies ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective’, FAU
(Germany)

PhD, Religions and Philosophies 2015–2022
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Teaching Fellowship 2018–2021
Professional Development in Higher Education Programme (FHEA), University of London (UK)

MPhil, Anthropology 2013–2015
University of Hyderabad (IN)

MA, South Asian Area Studies 2006–2007
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Teaching Fellow, Politics and International Studies Dept. 2022–2023
SOAS, University of London (UK)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Religions and Philosophies Dept. 2018–2020
SOAS, University of London (UK)

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Decolonial Subversions 2018–present

Dr Monika Hirmer is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS-E) ‘Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective’ at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität, Erlangen–Nürnberg (Germany), where she researches tantra from a cross-cultural perspective.

Monika’s area of research lies at the intersection of anthropology and philosophy and spans Goddess traditions, tantric traditions, non-anthropocentric cosmologies and ontologies, and decolonial studies, with a focus on South Asia. She obtained her PhD in Religions and Philosophies from SOAS, University of London, preceded by an MPhil in Anthropology of Religion from the University of Hyderabad, India, and an MA in South Asian Area Studies from SOAS. She also holds a BA in Political Sciences from the University of Florence, Italy.
Monika is a certified Teaching Fellow (FHEA) who has been teaching at SOAS in the departments of Religions and Philosophies and Politics and International Studies. In 2020 Monika co-founded the open access, multilingual and peer reviewed publishing platform Decolonial Subversions, of which she is Co-Editor-in-Chief.

Selected Articles

Hirmer M. Forthcoming 2025. ‘‘When the “Esoteric” Strikes Back: Revising the Field of Tantric Studies’. Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft, Special Issue Magic, Supernatural and Danger.

Hirmer M. 2024. ‘Introducing a New, Radically Inclusive, Decolonial Knowledge Landscape’. Decolonial Subversions Special Issue Vernacular Cultures of South Asia: 1–12.

Hirmer M. 2022. “Let Us Now Invoke the Three Celestial Lights of Fire, Sun and Moon into Ourselves”: Magic or Everyday Practice? A Critique of Magic for an Emic Approach to Śrīvidyā’. In Tantra, Magic and Vernacular Religions in Monsoon Asia: Texts, Practices, and Practitioners from the Margins, edited by Andrea Acri and Paolo E. Rosati. Studies in Tantric Traditions. Routledge.

Hirmer M. 2022. ‘The Self as Combination of Deities and Yantras: Divinisation Rituals among Contemporary Śrīvidyā Practitioners in India’. Edited by Terje Sparby. Religions 13 (738): 1–21.

Hirmer M. 2021. ‘“Devī Needs Those Rituals!” Ontological Considerations on Ritual Transformations in a Contemporary South Indian Śrīvidyā Tradition’. Religions of South Asia 14 (1–2): 117–49.

Hirmer M. 2020. ‘A Manifesto for Decolonial Subversions’. Decolonial Subversions I: 120-130.

Hirmer M. 2019. ‘Reflections on Salient Features in Clifford Geertz’s Interpretive Approach to Cultural Analysis’. Satis 1 (1): 1–8.

Hirmer M. 2018. ‘The Art of Telangana Women and the Crafting of the Decolonial Subject. From Dialectics of “Othering” to Expressions of Radical Alterity’. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research 11.

Hirmer M. 2018. ‘Taking Cringe Pop Seriously’. Economic and Political Weekly LIII (18): 62–63.

Hirmer M. 2016. ‘The Gaze’. Economic and Political Weekly LI (11): 92–93.

Hirmer M. 2016. ‘Looking for the Indian Woman’s Identity: Discrepancies and Power Imbalances Across Theory and Popular Culture’. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research 9: 7–23.

 

Edited Volumes

  1. Decolonial Subversions Special Issue ‘Vernacular Cultures of South Asia.
  2. Decolonial Subversions Vol 3: ‘New Beginnings’ [with Romina Istratii].
  3. Decolonial Subversions Vol 2: ‘A Time for Change’ [with Romina Istratii].
  4. Decolonial Subversions Vol 1: ‘Cross-Cultural Engagements in Decolonial Times: Subverting Eurocentric Structures, Epistemologies and Ontologies’ [with Romina Istratii].
  5. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol: 11: ‘Decolonisation in Praxis‘ [with Romina Istratii and Iris Lim].
  6. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol 10: ‘Exploring Fluid Times: Knowledge, Minds and Bodies’ [with Romina Istratii].
  7. SOAS Journal of Postgraduate Research Vol 9: ‘Identities: Power and Politics’ [with Romina Istratii].