Jessica Starling

Jessica Starling is the Department Chair and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Lewis & Clark College, affiliated with the Asian Studies and Gender Studies programs. She holds a PhD from the University of Virginia (2012), an MA (2006), and a BA from Guilford College (2000). Her research focuses on modern Japanese Buddhism, particularly Jōdo Shinshū, addressing themes like gender, family ethics, and religion’s role in medicine and stigma reduction. She has published widely, including a monograph on temple wives and articles on Buddhist laywomen’s groups and Hansen’s Disease advocacy.

Her scholarly contributions include grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Japan Foundation, and AAUW. She teaches courses like RELS 106: Religion and Medicine, blending historical and contemporary perspectives. Professional roles include co-chair of the Japanese Religions Unit at the American Academy of Religion and editorial positions in Religion Compass and H-Japan.

Starling’s ethnographic work examines Buddhist responses to social stigma, notably documenting volunteers supporting Hansen’s Disease patients. She actively bridges academic research with community engagement, emphasizing the agency of marginalized religious adherents.