Rate My Professor Erik Davis

Erik Davis is the Chair and Professor of Religious Studies at Macalester College. His academic journey began at the same institution, where he received his undergraduate degree in 1996. He then pursued advanced studies, earning a Master’s degree from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2000 and a Doctorate from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 2009.

Davis's research specializations center on Buddhism, ritual practices, and the theory of religion. A significant portion of his scholarship focuses on Cambodia, informed by his extended residence and fieldwork there from 2003 to 2006. His ongoing work delves into the historical development of early Buddhist sectarianism, contemporary meditative practices, philosophical evolutions within Buddhism, and the innovative use of ritual creativity in social protest movements in urban Cambodia. Throughout his career, Davis has produced influential publications that have advanced understanding in his field. Notable among them is "Deathpower: Buddhism's Ritual Imagination in Cambodia," published by Columbia University Press in 2017, which examines Buddhist funeral rituals. Another key work is "Sīmas: Foundations of Buddhist Religion" from the University of Hawai'i Press. He is currently completing "Each Other’s Destiny: Rebirth and Relationship in Cambodian Buddhism," forthcoming from the University of Hawai'i Press. Davis has also edited collections related to Cambodian folktales. His scholarly excellence was recognized with the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Fellowship in Buddhist Studies in 2016 for his project "Past Lives Present, Tense: Past-Life Memories in Contemporary Cambodian Society." Furthermore, he has served on committees focused on Buddhism and Southeast Asia within the Association of Asian Studies and the American Academy of Religion.