Hi, I’m Dr Tara Smith. I’m a cultural anthropologist and religious studies scholar who’s fascinated by the strange, the sublime, and the speculative. My research explores how people create meaning through media, spirituality, and imagination. From Warhammer 40k’s blood-soaked altars to Buddhist parables in science fiction, I study the symbolic worlds people build and what they reveal about our hopes, fears, and futures. 

I’ve held fellowships at Harvard, Oxford Brookes, Bremen, and Groningen. My work spans digital religion, climate imaginaries, conspiracy theories, and the anthropology of awe. I also collaborate on projects about environmental grievances and the psychological challenges of long-term space travel (yes, really). 

When I’m not buried in books or field notes, I’m probably talking too enthusiastically about the Dune series or trying to explain the Emperor of Mankind to unsuspecting dinner guests.