Levi McLaughlin

Levi McLaughlin is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research focuses on religion's role in modern Japan, particularly investigating the religio-political dynamics of organizations like Soka Gakkai and Komeito. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Japan, including participant observation within Soka Gakkai and studies of post-disaster religious responses following the 2011 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Religion, Princeton University (2009)
• M.A. in East Asian Studies, University of Toronto (1998)
• B.A. in Japanese Studies, University of Toronto (1996)

His work bridges anthropology, political science, and religious studies, examining how religious categories intersect with governance, education, and disaster recovery. Recent scholarship includes analyses of Japan’s religio-political landscape post-Abe assassination and the evolving role of religious organizations in national policy debates. McLaughlin’s award-winning book Soka Gakkai’s Human Revolution (2019) explores the organization’s cultural and political influence. He teaches courses on Asian religions, fieldwork methodology, and religion-politics intersections.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with institutions like the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies and the University of Michigan’s Center for Japanese Studies. Active in global research networks analyzing religion’s role in crisis responses and constitutional frameworks.