Jens Reinke holds the position of Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies at the Buddhist Studies Seminary of the Vrije University Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His research primarily focuses on the development of contemporary Chinese Mahayana within today's global context.

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Centering his attention on Taiwan, Jens Reinke investigates

modern and contemporary Buddhist translocative entanglements shaped by Western colonialism, processes of Asian nation-state building, increased global integration, and ethnic Chinese migration. Through this exploration, he sheds light on the emergence of non-Western modern Buddhist religiosities.

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Notably, his recent book titled "Mapping Modern Mahayana: Chinese Buddhism and Migration in the Age of Global Modernity" presents a multi-sited ethnography centered around the Taiwanese Buddhist organization Fo Guang Shan. "Mapping Modern Mahayana" was recognized as a “Groundbreaking Work in the Study of Chinese Religions” by the Society for the Study of Chinese Religions. It is published by De Gruyter.

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In his ongoing research, Jens Reinke continues to explore Buddhist social engagements through a global lens. He investigates the intersection of Buddhism and queerness in Taiwan and explores Buddhist spiritual care in both Europe and East Asia.

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Research Interests

Buddhism social engagements, Buddhism in sinophone societies,  Buddhist transnationalism, multiple modern religiosities, Buddhism and global modernity, Buddhist spiritual care, Buddhism and queerness, multi-sited ethnography