Anna Sun

Anna Sun is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Sociology at Duke University, affiliated with the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on Confucianism as a world religion, gender dynamics in religious practices, and comparative studies of prayer and ritual. She holds a PhD and MA from Princeton University. Key awards include the 2014 Best First Book in the History of Religions and the 2014 Sociology of Religion Distinguished Book Award. Dr. Sun has served as Co-Chair of the Chinese Religions Unit at the American Academy of Religion (2016–2021) and Chair of AsiaNetwork’s Board of Directors (2015–2016). Her work interrogates East Asian religious traditions through sociological frameworks, emphasizing how Confucianism interacts with modernity and globalization.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology, Princeton University (2008)
• MA in Sociology, Princeton University (2001)

Research interests:

• Global Confucianism and its contemporary revival
• Gender and religious practice
• Ritual theory and comparative prayer studies
• Methodological challenges in East Asian religious studies

Professional service includes leadership roles in the American Academy of Religion and AsiaNetwork, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in Asian Studies. External partnerships with organizations like The Pew Research Center and The Fetzer Institute reflect her commitment to bridging academic and applied research in religion and society.