Oren Hanner’s research focuses on the history of Buddhist philosophy in India, ethics, philosophy of action, and cross-cultural philosophy. His recent writing dealt with questions related to the meaning of life, joint moral agency, and justice, as they can be understood from a Buddhist perspective. At Duke Kunshan, Oren will teach courses in Asian and comparative philosophy, as well as the common core Ethics, Citizenship, and the Examined Life. In addition to these areas, his teaching and mentoring interests include the interdisciplinary connections between philosophy and the social sciences. 

Oren is the editor of Buddhism and Scepticism: Historical, Philosophical, and Comparative Perspectives (Projekt Verlag, 2020) and has published articles in various journals, including Sophia, Comparative Philosophy, Philosophy East and West, and Mindfulness. From 2019 to 2023, he was the book review editor of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics.

Oren holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and communication from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, an M.A. in philosophy from Tel-Aviv University, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Hamburg. Prior to joining Duke Kunshan, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy at New York University, Abu Dhabi.