Sara A. Swenson
I work as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at Dartmouth College. The courses I teach survey religions of Southeast Asia and comparative religion. My current research explores how grassroots charity volunteers in Vietnam adapt Buddhist values and practices to navigate ethical struggles amid rapid urbanization.
I love learning about religions in all their complexity, especially the ways that religions can inspire people to seek justice, build community, and find purpose in a chaotic world.
My work has received generous funding support from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS); American Academy of Religion (AAR); Dartmouth College Leslie Center for the Humanities; Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA); and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies.
I hold a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Religion (Syracuse University, 2021, 2016), a Certificate of Advanced Study in Women’s and Gender Studies (Syracuse University, 2015), an M.A. in Comparative Religion (Iliff School of Theology, 2012), and a B.A. in English (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2009).
In addition to teaching and research, I enjoy running, creative writing, all things science fiction, and exploring the outdoors with my dog.
Sara A. Swenson 