The annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) is going to take place online this year due to the ongoing covid-19 situation. More than 400 sessions will be happening virtually, with almost 2,000 scholars presenting on their research. For more information, see the Online Program Book at https://papers.aarweb.org/online-program-book. The virtual conference begins this upcoming Sunday.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate myself, but I would like to inform you that the Buddhism in the West Unit has two sessions on Tuesday December 1.
Buddhism and Racism Across Asia, Europe and North America (co-sponsored with the Buddhism Unit)
Tuesday, December 1, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM (EST UTC-5)
- Paride Stortini, “The Buddha as an Aryan Samurai: Julius Evola’s Spiritual Racism and its Legacy on Italian Buddhism”
- Bruce Grover, “Race, Ethnic Nationalism and Power in Modern Japanese Buddhism, 1880-1945”
- Kim Lam, “Multiculturalism and the racialisation of Buddhism in Australia”
- Adeana McNicholl, “Shades of Whiteness in American Buddhism”
- Joseph Cheah, Presiding
- Duncan Williams, Responding
Transnationalism, Secularization, and Hybridity: Adapting Buddhisms in the West (plus business meeting)
Tuesday, December 1, 1:45 PM – 3:15 PM (EST UTC-5)
- Alexander Rocklin, “Buddhism, Race, and the Magic of Secularism in Antebellum America”
- Peter M. Romaskiewicz, “Beware the Curse of the Buddha: Race, Gender, and Religious Xenophobia of Buddhism in Early Twentieth Century American Media”
- Jason Ellsworth, “Buddhist Social Enterprise or ‘Corporate Buddhism’ The Commodification and Consumption of Discourses of Social Change”
- Claudia Schippert, “Translating Korean Zen in America: Hybridization in Seung Sahn’s Kwan Um School of Zen”
I am sure this will be two splendid sessions!
Take care and be well.
Almut (Renger)
