Dr. Mark Mcclish

Associate Professor

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Biography

Mark McClish specializes in classical Hinduism with a focus on early legal and political literature, particularly dharmaśāstra and arthaśāstra. He holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Indiana University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Asian Cultures and Languages from the University of Texas at Austin, where he specialized in Sanskrit and Indian Religions. His research employs close reading of texts to explore the intersection of religious, legal, and political aspects within classical Sanskrit literature. McClish is especially interested in the frameworks of political thought in classical South Asia, the development of Hindu law, and the political dimensions of Brahmanical orthodoxy during this period. His current research interests include the early history of the dharmaśāstra tradition, Brāhmaṇical ritual law, and the concept of fate in Indic political thought. He has co-authored 'Arthaśāstra: Selections from a Classic Indian Work on Statecraft' (Hackett, 2012) and authored 'History of the Arthaśāstra' (Cambridge, 2019). McClish's research is supported by the European Research Council (SAW-ERC) and Fulbright, among other organizations. His teaching areas encompass Hinduism, religion in classical India, Hindu law, and the politics of religion.

Research Interests

Requirements for Northwestern University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
U.S. Bachelor's degree or equivalent
Application Checklist
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  • Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume/CV
  • TOEFL/IELTS scores (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Standard PhD requirements for TGS departments including Chemistry, Physics, and Sociology.