Christopher Born

Christopher Born is an Assistant Professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences at Belmont University, where he teaches courses in Asian Studies and Japanese language and literature. He previously held academic positions at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and served as a Visiting Professor of Asian Studies at Bowdoin College from 2017 to 2018.

His research centers on modern Japanese literature, the Christian intellectual tradition in Japan, Japanese aesthetics, sacred architectural spaces, and the philosophical dimensions of anime and manga. He has conducted extensive research on autobiographical writing and subjectivity, particularly in the works of Uchimura Kanzō, a prominent Japanese Christian thinker.

Dr. Born's recent scholarly work explores the evolving yet enduring spiritual environment of the Ise Grand Shrines and how sacred spaces are experienced over time. He has also published on the reinterpretation of Confucian values in contemporary shōnen anime and manga, highlighting cultural continuity in modern media.

His publications reflect interdisciplinary engagement across religious studies, cultural studies, art history, and media philosophy. The research demonstrates a consistent focus on how tradition, spirituality, and identity are mediated through literature, architecture, and visual culture in Japan.

• Japan Foundation Dissertation Fellowship (2015–2016)
• Grants from Japan Foundation and Mellon Foundation for symposium on 'Godzilla as Harrier and Harbinger: Rethinking the Post-Atomic in the Pacific'

Dr. Born has secured external funding for academic events and research initiatives, including a symposium that re-examined post-atomic narratives in Pacific cultures through the lens of the Godzilla franchise. He mentors students through study abroad programs in Japan, focusing on traditional arts and contemporary cultural practices, fostering experiential learning in Japanese society.

He is actively involved in academic programming and international education, leading study abroad courses since 2023 to deepen students' engagement with Japanese culture.