Sofia Nikitaki

Sofia Nikitaki (KU Leuven/VUB) is a postdoctoral researcher holding two Master’s degrees and a Doctorate from the KU Leuven Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies. Since 2019, she has also been serving in the international board of the European Society for Women in Theological Research (ESWTR). 

Sofia’s doctoral research (2017-2023) focused on an empirical examination of nonreligion and nonreligious individuals in different European contexts (Belgium, Greece, Norway) and was conducted under the auspices of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). Her current postdoctoral project (2024-2027; FWO-funded) explores how families composed by one religious and one nonreligious partner raising children together navigate worldview dialogue and make decisions about (non)religion within their family units.

Publications: 

Nikitaki, S. (2023). De Positie Van ‘Niet-Religie’ In Theologie En Religiewetenschappen: Visies Van Academici Op Hun Disciplines. In: Wetenschap in Perspectief. Ifese vzw: Instituut voor Filosofische en Sociaalwetenschappelijk Educatie.

Nikitaki, S. (2022). The Place of Nonbelief Studies in the Academic Study of Religion: Issues and Insights from Empirical Research with Scholars of Religion. In: A-L. Zwilling, H. Årsheim (Eds.), Formatting Nonreligion in Late Modern Societies, Chapt. 12, (209-227). (Boundaries of Religious Freedom: Regulating Religion in Diverse Societies, 12). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Nikitaki, S. (2021). "There's No Sequel, They Sold Us A Sequel": Wat Indie en Underground Rap ons kan leren over niet-religieuze identiteiten. In: D. Bosschaert, T. Valgaeren (Eds.), Goddeloze muziek!? Populaire muziekgenres en hun verhouding tot religie, Chapt. 6, (141-168). (Cahiers voor praktische theologie, 27). Antwerp, Belgium: Halewijn. ISBN: 9789085286332.

Nikitaki, S. (2022). Nonreligion and Human Rights in the EU: Some Thoughts and Insights on the Case of Greece. In: Θρησκείες και Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα: Πρακτικά Διεπιστημονικού Συνεδρίου [13-16 Φεβρουαρίου 2019] / Religion and Human Rights: Proceedings from the Interdisciplinary Conference [13-16 February 2019], (357-367). Presented at the Θρησκείες και Ανθρώπινα Δικαιώματα / Religion and Human Rights, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, 13 Feb 2019-16 Feb 2019, Athens.