Varun Soni

Varun Soni is the Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California (USC). He is a University Fellow at USC Annenberg's Center on Public Diplomacy, an Adjunct Professor at USC's School of Religion, and a member of the State Bar of California, the American Academy of Religion, and the Association for College and University Religious Affairs. He serves on the advisory board for the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement, Journal for Interreligious Dialogue, CrossCurrents, Hindu American Seva Charities, Interfaith Youth Core, and the Parliament of the World's Religions. Prior to joining USC, he spent four years teaching in the Law and Society Program at UC Santa Barbara. He is the author of Natural Mystics: The Prophetic Lives of Bob Marley and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and he produced the critically acclaimed graphic novel Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary, which is currently being adapted as a feature length film. He also produced and hosted his own radio show on KPFK/Pacifica showcasing music from South Asia and its diaspora. He holds degrees in religion from Tufts University, Harvard Divinity School, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Cape Town, as well as a law degree from UCLA School of Law.