Vivek Shah

Vivek Shah is a doctoral candidate in the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. His research explores South Asian philosophy and religions, with particular focus on the concept of the “space that is consciousness” (cidākāșsa) across Sanskrit traditions of Vedānta, yoga, and tantra. His dissertation situates these debates on space in relation to European philosophical discourses from Aristotle through German Idealism, with an eye toward comparative questions of void, plenitude, and consciousness.

Beyond his dissertation, his broader interests include political theology, philosophy of religion, and the intellectual history of South Asia in relation to global traditions of thought. He teaches courses on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and comparative philosophy of religion, and is committed to fostering rigorous, cross-cultural dialogue at the intersection of metaphysics, theology, and intellectual history.