Joris Gielen

Joris Gielen studied history, religious studies and theology at University of Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven) in Belgium. He obtained his MA in History in 2001, MA in Religious Studies in 2002, and MA in Theology in 2003. In that year, he left for India to study Indian Philosophy and Religion at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, with a postgraduate scholarship of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). He obtained this MA in 2005. After his return to Belgium he began working on a doctoral dissertation on palliative care physicians' and nurses' ethical attitudes and religious beliefs at the end of life in Flanders (Belgium) and New Delhi (India). He defended this dissertation in 2010. From October 2010 until August 2014 he worked at the University of Leuven as a postdoctoral scholar with a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO). In August 2014 he became assistant professor at the Center for Healthcare Ethics, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh (USA).

Education

Ph.D. (STD), Theology, University of Leuven, Belgium, 2010
MA, Indian Philosophy and Religion, Banaras Hindu University, India, 2005
MA, Theology, University of Leuven, Belgium, 2003
MA, Religious Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium, 2002
MA, History, University of Leuven, Belgium, 2001

In his research, Joris Gielen focuses on religion and ethics in palliative care from a global perspective. More in particular, he studies the influence of religion and spirituality on medical decision making in palliative care. A special area of interest are the experiences of palliative care patients, their family members, physicians and nurses in North India. Currently, this line of research is being expanded to also include Asian-Indian cancer patients living in the US.

Relevant publications include:

Gielen, J. (2014). Why Does Spirituality Matter in End of Life Care? In Das, R. (Ed.), Nayak, S. (Ed.), Concepts of Palliative Care. Cuttack: A.K. Mishra Publishers, 72-80.

Gielen, J. (2013). God in India: diversiteit en devotie in de Indische religies. Tielt: LannooCampus.

Gielen, J. (2012). Mahātmā Gandhi's view on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Journal of Medical Ethics, 38 (7), 431-434.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., van Iersel, T., Broeckaert, B. (2012). Flemish Palliative-Care Nurses' Attitudes to Palliative Sedation: Results of a Quantitative Study. Nursing Ethics, 19 (5), 692-704.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., van Iersel, G., Broeckaert, B. (2011). The Diverse Influence of Religion and World View on Palliative-care Nurses' Attitudes to Euthanasia. Journal of Empirical Theology, 24 (1),36-56.

Gielen, J., Gupta, H., Rajvanshi, A., Bhatnagar, S., Mishra, S., Chaturvedi, A., Van den Branden, S., Broeckaert, B. (2011). The Attitudes of Indian Palliative-Care Nurses and Physicians toward Pain Control and Palliative Sedation. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 17 (1), 33-41.

Gielen, J., Bhatnagar, S., Mishra, S., Chaturvedi, A., Gupta, H., Rajvanshi, A., Van den Branden, S., Broeckaert, B. (2011). Can Curative or Life-sustaining Treatment Be Withheld or Withdrawn? The Opinions and Views of Indian Palliative-care Nurses and Physicians. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 14 (1), 5-18.Broeckaert, B., Gielen, J., van Iersel, G., Van den Branden, S. (2010). Euthanasia and palliative care in Belgium: The Attitudes of Flemish Palliative Care Nurses and Physicians toward Euthanasia. AJOB Primary Research, 1 (3), 31-44.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., Broeckaert, B. (2009). The Operationalisation of Religion and World View in Surveys of Nurses' Attitudes toward Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 12 (4), 423-431.

Broeckaert, B., Gielen, J., van Iersel, G., Van den Branden, S. (2009). The Attitude of Flemish Palliative
Care Physicians to Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: An Empirical Study. Ethical Perspectives, 16 (3), 311-335.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., van Iersel, G., Broeckaert, B. (2009). Religion, World View and the Nurse: Results of a Quantitative Survey among Flemish Palliative Care Nurses. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 15 (12), 590-600.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., Broeckaert, B. (2009). Religion and Nurses' Attitudes to Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide. Nursing ethics, 16 (3), 303-318.

Broeckaert, B., Gielen, J., van Iersel, G., Van den Branden, S. (2009). Palliative Care Physicians' Religious/World View and Attitude Toward Euthanasia: A Quantitative Study among Flemish Palliative Care Physicians. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 15 (1), 41-50.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., van Iersel, G., Broeckaert, B. (2009). Flemish Palliative Care Nurses'
Attitudes toward Euthanasia. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 15 (10), 488-497.

Gielen, J., Van den Branden, S., Broeckaert, B. (2008). Attitudes of European Physicians Toward Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Review of the Recent Literature. Journal of Palliative Care, 24 (3), 173-184.