Hugh B Urban

Hugh B. Urban is a professor of religious studies at Ohio State University. He holds a PhD in the history of religions from the University of Chicago. Urban's academic career has focused on new religious movements, particularly in the United States and Europe, and he has explored the role of secrecy and information control within religious traditions.

His scholarly work includes extensive research into the Church of Scientology, culminating in a book published by Princeton University Press. This work has been recognized for its depth and scholarly approach. Urban's broader interests encompass tantra, sexuality, magic, and the politics of religion, reflecting a fascination with how knowledge and power are managed within religious systems. He is married to Nancy Jesser, also a professor at Ohio State University.

Hugh B. Urban's academic journey began with the study of Indian religions, later broadening to encompass new religious movements across the United States and Europe. A consistent theme throughout his research is the inherent fascination he holds for the ways religions utilize knowledge and power to maintain secrecy. This interest has informed his extensive body of work, including numerous academic books and articles that delve into the complex dynamics of religious traditions and their management of information.

Urban has dedicated significant scholarly attention to the Church of Scientology. His research in this area includes an article titled "Fair Game: Secrecy, Security, and the Church of Scientology in Cold War America," published in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. This work was further developed into his 2011 book, "The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion." The book received considerable praise from critics, being described as "the most scholarly treatment of the organization to date" by Michael Shermer and highlighting how the Church's founder, L. Ron Hubbard, strategically concealed his theories in response to challenges. Urban also noted Hubbard's incorporation of ideas from astral projection pioneer Sylvan Muldoon.

Across his published works, Urban consistently explores the intersection of religion with themes of secrecy, power, sexuality, and liberation. Titles such as "Tantra: Sex, Secrecy, Politics and Power in the Study of Religion" and "Magia Sexualis: Sex, Magic and Liberation in Modern Western Esotericism" highlight his engagement with esoteric traditions and their practices. His research also extends to the political dimensions of religion, as seen in "The Secrets of the Kingdom: Religion and Concealment in the Bush Administration," demonstrating a broad interest in how religious beliefs and institutions interact with societal structures and the dissemination of knowledge.