Thomas Michael
145 Bay State Road, Suite B05
Boston, MA 02215
T: 617.358.3811; F: 617.358.3087
Email: tmichael@bu.edu
Fall 2009 Office Hours: Mon 3:00PM-5:30PM

Bio

Tom Michael received his Ph. D. in the History of Religions from the Divinity School at the University of Chicago in 2001. His teaching and research focus on Chinese religions, including Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and popular religions. He published The Pristine Dao: Metaphysics in Early Daoist Discourse in 2005, which explores the religious dimensions of early Daoism by examining the fundamental ideas of this tradition about the Dao. His current research is directed to various elements of early Chinese religion, with a particular emphasis on the place and function of shamanism. He is undertaking a project that attempts a comprehensive examination of the ancient and early Chinese records of shamanism, from oracle bones to myth, poetry, song, and the official bureaucratic writings. His courses deal primarily with the various foundational texts of Chinese religions, philosophy, mythology, and literature.

Complete CV

Courses

CAS RN211 Chinese Religion
CAS RN360 Daoist Religion
CAS RN363 Zen Buddhism
CAS RN364 Buddhist Literature
CAS RN453 Topics in Religion and Sexuality