Michael Nichols

Michael Nichols earned his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Northwestern University in 2010. He previously taught at Saint Joseph’s College in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and the Core Curriculum, an integrated liberal arts program. In 2017, he received Saint Joseph's College’s Teaching Excellence Award.

His research interests include the interconnection of mythic narratives in Buddhism and Hinduism and the reimagination of mythic figures, ideas, and stories in popular culture. He has published numerous journal articles and is the author of two books: Religion and Myth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (McFarland Books, 2021) and Malleable Mara: Transformations of a Buddhist Symbol of Evil (State University of New York Press, 2019).