Pawel Odyniec

 
Lecturer in Religious Studies

Research

Pawel Odyniec is an Indologist with philological competence in two South Asian languages, Sanskrit and Hindi, and three MA degrees in Philosophy, History of Religions, and Indian Philosophy and Religion. His research covers the areas of Indian philosophy and philosophical theology, South Asian religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), and intercultural Philosophy as a Way of Life.

Pawel's academic goals are (1) to conduct original, philologically rigorous research in the field of Indian philosophy and philosophical theology, specifically Advaita Vedānta, Yoga, and Kashmir Śaivism in Sanskrit sources as well as its reception during the early modern and modern period in Hindi and English sources; (2) to conduct reserach in intercultural philosophy as a way of life; and (3) to partake actively in the international research community engaging with Indian philosophy and philosophical theology, classical to modern, South Asian religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), and the notion of intercultural Philosophy as a Way of Life. 

Teaching

Pawel Odyniec has extensive experience teaching Indian philosophy and South Asian religions. Since 2020, he has been lecturing at Karlstad University (KAU), offering a range of courses within the teacher training program in Religious Studies, as well as several highly popular independent courses:

  • Religious and Other Anomalous Experiences: Theories, Types, and Functions – 7.5 ECTS
  • Religion in Asia – 7.5 ECTS
  • Classical Yoga: Body, Soul, and Liberation – 7.5 ECTS
  • Modern Yoga: Religion, Body, and Health – 7.5 ECTS
  • Lived Philosophy, Therapy, and Spirituality: Philosophical Perspectives on Classical and Contemporary Philosophy – 15 ECTS

He also teaches fieldwork-oriented courses:

  • Fieldwork: Preparations and Methods – 15 ECTS
  • Field Studies: Cultural Encounters and Area Studies – 7.5 ECTS

Collaboration

Pawel is currently involved in two research groups: The International Society for Philosophy as a Way of Life and Philosophical Health International. In both research envirenments Pawel argues for an intercultural understanding och philosophy as a way of life, with focuss on South Asian intellectual history. Besides, Pawel is also active in the Network for Nordic Yoga Studies and has been actively involved in the international research project "Mapping Philosophy as a Way of Life" based in Portugal. 

Bio

Pawel Odyniec received his doctoral training in Indology from Uppsala University (2018), where he completed his doctoral dissertation titled Engaging Advaita: Conceptualising Liberating Knowledge in the Face of Western Modernity. At the master's level, he holds degrees in the History of Philosophy (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), History of Religions (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), and Indian Philosophy and Religion (Banaras Hindu University). In addition, he has completed teacher training in Philosophy at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Pawel has lived and conducted research in India for several years. Pawel is member of the executive board of International Sociaty for Philosophy as a Way of Life and member of Philosophical Health International. He is also a certified practitioner of SMILE_PH method aiming at restoring philosophical health. 

Selected publications

Odyniec, P. (2025). Philosophy as a Way of Life Around the Globe: The Case of Krishnachandra Bhattacharyya (1875-1949). In Matthew Sharpe (ed.), Philosophy as a Way of Life: New Reserahc Directions. https://brill.com/display/book/9789004739147/BP000013.xml

Odyniec, P. (2018). Engaging Advaita : Conceptualising liberating knowledge in the face of Western modernity. South Asian Studies 4. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1255923&dswid=5439
 
Odyniec, P. (2018). Rethinking Advaita Within the Colonial Predicament: the ‘Confrontative’ Philosophy of K. C. Bhattacharyya (1875–1949). SOPHIA 57, 405424. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11841-018-0678-1#citeas

Other

In addition to research and teaching, Pawel has a strong interest in pedagogy. In 2021, he won the "Teacher of the Year" award at Karlstad University and since then has been nominated twice for the same award in 2023 and 2025.  https://www.kau.se/nyheter/karlstad-studentkar-har-utsett-basta-larare-2021

Publications