Find Academic Supervisors

Lara C. W. BlanchardView profile

Professor

• Chinese Art History
• Gender and Art
• Song Dynasty Painting
• +7 more

Lara C. W. Blanchard is the Luce Professor of East Asian Art and Lloyd Wright Professor in Conservative Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she has been a faculty member since 2001. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Michigan and specializes in Chinese pictorial arts from the Song dynasty to the present. Her interdisciplinary research integrates art history, gender studies, and literary analysis. Her education includes: Ph.D., Art History, University of Michigan (2001) M.A., Art History, University of Michigan (1992) B.A., Art History and Mathematics, College of William & Mary (1988) Her research focuses on gender in Chinese art, particularly women as artists and patrons, text-image relationships, and the construction of gendered subjectivity in painting and poetry. She examines how visual culture reflects and constructs ideals of femininity and masculinity, especially during the Song dynasty. Her work often bridges art historical analysis with literary and philosophical contexts, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Her recent publications and lectures reveal a strong trend in analyzing emotional interiority, political allegory, and gendered representation in East Asian visual culture. She frequently explores how poetic themes are visualized in painting and how female subjectivity is constructed across historical periods. Her scientific awards include: 2020 Joseph Levenson Pre-1900 Book Prize (China) 2016 Franklin R. Buchanan Prize for Asia Curriculum Materials 2020 Faculty Prize for Scholarship, HWS Lloyd Wright Professorship in Conservative Studies (2018–) Lara Blanchard has been actively involved in mentoring through curriculum development, textbook authorship, and graduate advising. She has received multiple research grants from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and external foundations such as the Freeman Foundation. Her collaborative projects, such as the textbook Asian Art , demonstrate her commitment to pedagogy and accessible scholarship. She is affiliated with several academic organizations, including the Association for Asian Studies, College Art Association, and Cornell University’s East Asia Program as an Associate in Research. She has delivered lectures at institutions like Stanford, Princeton, and the University of Kansas, and has participated in panels and symposia on gender, Buddhism, and visual culture in Asia.

Robert SharfView profile

Professor

• Medieval Chinese Buddhism
• Chan Buddhism
• Japanese Buddhism
• +5 more

Robert Sharf is the D.H. Chen Distinguished Professor of Buddhist Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley . He also serves as Chair of the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies and Head Graduate Advisor for the Group in Buddhist Studies . With a PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Michigan (1995), he previously taught at McMaster University (1989-1995) and the University of Michigan (1995-2003). Research Interests: Medieval Chinese Buddhism (especially Chan) Japanese Buddhism Buddhist Art and Archaeology Ritual Studies Buddhist Modernism Philosophical Paradoxes Methodology in Religious Studies Critical Buddhist Discourse Publications & Collaborations: Author of Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism: A Reading of the Treasure Store Treatise (2002) Co-editor of Living Images: Japanese Buddhist Icons in Context (2001) Co-author of What Can’t Be Said: Contradiction and Paradox in East Asian Thought (2021) Co-author of How to Lose Yourself: An Ancient Guide to Letting Go (2025) Editor of Chinese translations of his works: Xiafu Chanxue zixuan ji and Xiafu Mijiao Yanjiu zixuan ji (2022) Academic Leadership: Director of the Group in Buddhist Studies Director of Religious Studies Chair of the Center for Buddhist Studies

• Pre-Modern Japanese Literature
• Japanese Visual Culture
• Text-Image Relationships
• +3 more

Professor Joshua S. Mostow is a scholar of pre-modern Japanese literature and art, specializing in text-image relationships, Heian-period studies, and gendered cultural constructions. He holds a professorship at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Asian Studies (Faculty of Arts), where he also serves as Acting Director of Language Programs. Mostow earned his doctorate in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at International Christian University (Tokyo), Université de Paris, and Gakushuin University. His career includes visiting roles at institutions like Heidelberg University and the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on intersections of literature and visual arts, particularly in Japanese pre-modern contexts. Key interests include the ideological construction of the Heian period, women’s writing traditions, and the role of sexuality in cultural identity. Major works include *Courtly Visions: The Ise Stories and the Politics of Cultural Appropriation* (2014) and *Pictures of the Heart: The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image* (1996). He has received prestigious awards such as the Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation (2017) and induction into the Royal Society of Canada (2015). Mostow has authored/co-authored over 20 books, edited volumes, and numerous articles across Japanese literature, art history, and cultural studies. His work spans medieval commentaries, Edo-period print culture, and modern reception histories. He frequently lectures internationally on topics like gender representation in classical texts and the visual legacy of *The Tale of Genji*. Grants and fellowships include support from the Sainsbury Institute, Japan Foundation, and SSHRC (Canada). His contributions to Japanese studies include co-editing *The Columbia Companion to Modern East Asian Literature* (2003) and curating exhibitions on Rinpa aesthetics and Edo-period shunga. Scholarly activities further include invited lectures at institutions worldwide and participation in major international conferences.

Janet GyatsoView profile

Professor

• Buddhist Studies
• Tibetan History
• Medical History
• +3 more

Janet Gyatso is the Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), affiliated with Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She holds academic ties to the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations and the Committee on Inner Asian and Altaic Studies. Her research focuses on Tibetan and South Asian cultural/intellectual history, Buddhist epistemology, gender studies, and the intersection of religion and medicine. Dr. Gyatso earned her BA, MA, and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She previously taught at Amherst College before joining HDS in 2014 as Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs (until June 2024). Her major works include Being Human in a Buddhist World (2015) and Women in Tibet (2006), exploring themes like early modern Tibetan medicine and Buddhist gender dynamics. Her current research addresses ethical relationships with animals and Buddhist ministerial training. She has held leadership roles, including president of the International Association of Tibetan Studies (2000–2006) and co-chair of the American Academy of Religion's Buddhism Section (2004–2010). She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018. Gyatso's teaching spans Buddhist history, ritual, and Tibetan literary practices. She actively develops programs like the Buddhist Lay Ministry Initiative at HDS, blending academic rigor with practical ministry training.

• History of Buddhist Religion and Philosophy
• East Asian Thought History
• Pure Land Buddhism
• +3 more

Jakub Zamorski is a researcher at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies within Jagiellonian University , specializing in the history of Buddhist religion and philosophy in China and Japan. His work integrates Buddhist studies with broader East Asian 'history of thought' (思想史), examining how classical Chinese civilization influenced regional traditions. Focus on demythologization of Pure Land Buddhism Investigates Buddhist impact on modern European thought reception (19th-20th c.) Expert in East Asian Buddhist logic (hetu-vidyā/yinming) Zamorski's publications span comparative Buddhist studies, including collaborations on dharmadhatu analysis and translations of early Mahayana texts. He has received prestigious fellowships from Jōdo-shinshū Higashi Honganji and Sheng Yen Education Foundation, and participates in international conferences like International Association of Buddhist Studies and American Academy of Religion. 2020-2023: Collaborator on Japanese government-funded project analyzing Early Mahayana Sutras 2016: Foguang University research on early modern East Asian Buddhist texts 2011: Participant in study of 6th-7th century Chinese Buddhist thought

Linda H. ChanceView profile

Associate Professor

• Medieval Japanese Prose
• Zuihitsu (Fragmentary Prose)
• Commentarial and Reception Histories
• +5 more

Linda H. Chance is an Associate Professor of Japanese Language and Literature and Associate Chair in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (1990) and an MA from the University of Washington, Seattle (1986). Her research focuses on medieval Japanese prose, particularly the zuihitsu (random essay form), and explores commentarial traditions, gender studies, Buddhist thought, and material culture. She co-founded the Faculty Working Group RAMS: Reading Asian Manuscripts, leading workshops on manuscript studies and hosting symposia on topics like hentaigana and kuzushiji scripts. Her teaching emphasizes material culture, including courses on Japanese food globalization, classical literature, and advanced Japanese reading. She has published extensively on Japanese literary traditions, including works on Tezuka Osamu’s manga, the rhetoric of fragmentary prose, and the intersection of gender and textuality in classical works like Tsurezuregusa and The Pillow Book. Her current research prioritizes the history of the book, manuscript studies, and printing practices. She has contributed to pedagogical discussions on Asian language education and collaborates across disciplines, notably with Art History faculty.

Yuhang LiView profile

Associate Professor

• Chinese Art
• Gender Studies
• Buddhist Art
• +5 more

Yuhang Li is an Associate Professor of Chinese Art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Art History. She serves as Affiliate of the Religious Studies Program, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, and Center for East Asian Studies, and holds the role of Faculty Director of Material Culture at the Center for Design and Material Culture. Her education includes a B.A. from Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing, 1991), M.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2001), and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2011). Her research focuses on gender and material practice in late imperial China, particularly Buddhist women’s artistic devotions, Chinese textiles and costume, opera’s role in visual culture, and Qing court art. Her book Becoming Guanyin (2020) won major academic awards. She co-edited Performing Images: Opera in Chinese Visual Culture (2014) and contributed to special issues on Empress Dowager Cixi. Teaching includes courses on Asian art surveys, Chinese art history, material culture, and gender studies. Her work bridges art history with religious studies, exploring how material practices reflect gendered identities and religious belief. Awards include the 2021 Religion and the Arts Book Award and the 2024 Geiss-Hsu Book Prize. Her research frequently examines the intersection of ephemeral mediums (e.g., paper, hair embroidery) with enduring cultural and religious themes.

Stephen C. BerkwitzView profile

Professor

• Buddhist studies
• Theravāda Buddhism
• South Asian religions
• +5 more

Dr. Stephen C. Berkwitz is a Professor and Department Head of Religious Studies at Missouri State University , affiliated with the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities. A leading scholar in South Asian religions, he has published extensively on Buddhism , Theravāda traditions , and religion-colonialism intersections since 1999. Education : PhD (1999), MA (1994) in Religious Studies from UC Santa Barbara; BA (1991) in Religion from University of Vermont. His research focuses on Sinhala and Pali literature , Buddhist kingship , and post-colonial religious identity . Recent publications analyze Buddhist relic veneration, colonial-era texts, and interfaith dynamics. He co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Theravāda Buddhism (2022) and translated the Sinhala Thupavamsa . Scientific Awards : Fulbright Senior Scholar Award (2005) Luso-American Foundation Scholarship (2009) Multiple Ruhr-Universität Bochum fellowships (2011, 2017) Wabash Center grants for religious pedagogy (2010, 2015-2017) University Teaching Award (2004) As series editor for Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism and editorial board member of three journals, Berkwitz actively shapes global Buddhist scholarship. He has conducted fieldwork in Sri Lanka , Germany , and Portugal , with expertise in South Asian manuscript cultures and Buddhist nationalism .

Raji C. SteineckView profile

Professor

• Japanese Philosophy
• Critical Thought
• Medieval Japanese Culture
• +7 more

Raji C. Steineck is a Professor of Japanese Philology at the University of Zurich and Vice Dean of Research for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He also holds visiting professorships at Yamaguchi University’s Research Institute for Time Studies and has been actively involved in academic leadership as President of the International Society for the Study of Time (ISST) and board member of the Swiss Asia Society (SAG) and the Center for Medieval Studies Zurich. Education: M.A. in Japanese Studies (1993), Dr. phil. in Philosophy (1999), and venia legendi in Japanology (2006) from Bonn University. His research spans Japanese philosophy , medieval mythologies , symbolic forms in Dōgen , and time in medieval culture . He has pioneered a transcultural theory of symbolic forms inspired by Cassirer, applied to Japanese studies, and led collaborations on topics like modern Japanese philosophy, authorship in East Asian literature, and Buddhist text analysis. His 2014 monograph Symbolische Form und Funktion critically engages with Cassirer’s work, while a monograph on ancient Japanese mythologies is in press. Recent publications focus on Dōgen’s temporal philosophy , Marxist critique , and bioethical debates in Japan. He has organized interdisciplinary research on Japanese mummified remains (2021) and contributed to critical theory. His awards include the ERC Advanced Grant and fellowships from DAAD, MEXT, Humboldt Foundation, and JSPS. Scientific Awards: ERC Advanced Grant (Project ‘Time in Medieval Japan’) DAAD Scholarship MEXT Scholarship (Japanese Ministry of Education) Humboldt Foundation Fellowship JSPS Fellowship As a mentor for the Swiss Study Foundation and co-editor of Welten Ostasiens and Asiatische Studien/Études Asiatiques , he fosters academic exchange. His teaching at Zurich includes courses on Japanese intellectual history, theoretical philosophy, and classical Japanese literature.

Steven HeineView profile

Professor

• Japanese religions
• Zen Buddhism
• Dōgen studies
• +3 more

Steven Heine is Professor of Religious Studies and History at Florida International University , where he also directs the Institute for Asian Studies and serves as interim director of the Institute for Judaic and Near Eastern Studies . Additionally, he is associate director of the Center for Transnational and Comparative Studies . His research and teaching focus on Japanese religions—especially Zen Buddhism and the thought of Dōgen (1200-1253), founder of the Sōtō sect—as well as broader East Asian literature and comparative religion. Education Japanese Religions Comparative Religious Thought Religion and the Social Sciences Research Interests Professor Heine’s scholarship centres on Japanese religions , with particular emphasis on Zen Buddhism and the thought of Dōgen . He explores East Asian literature from classical through modern times, employing comparative perspectives that connect Japanese culture with wider global contexts. His work also addresses worldwide mysticism , folk religions , religion and psychology , and the impact of modernization on religious traditions. Publications & Trends Across more than two decades, Heine has produced a steady stream of monographs, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed articles that illuminate Zen philosophy , koan literature , and the textual history of the Shōbōgenzō . His recent output (2019-2025) reveals intensified attention to Dōgen’s poetics , Chan/Zen hermeneutics , and the transmission of Chinese Chan texts to medieval Japan . Book-length studies such as Readings of Dōgen’s Treasury of the True Dharma Eye (2020) and Dōgen: Textual and Historical Studies (2012) are widely regarded as foundational resources in the field. Grants & Fellowships National Endowment for the Humanities research fellowship (Spring–Fall 2001) for the project The Role of Zen Buddhist Koan Literature in Medieval China and Japan Institutes & Programmes Heine currently directs the Institute for Asian Studies , which oversees FIU’s new Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies and coordinates interdisciplinary faculty working on globalization and Asia’s historical and contemporary impact. He is also interim director of the Institute for Judaic and Near Eastern Studies and associate director of the Center for Transnational and Comparative Studies , fostering collaborative research across departments and colleges.

Timothy PettipieceView profile

Associate Professor

• Classics and Religion
• Gnostic and Manichaean Studies
• Late Antiquity
• +3 more

Timothy Pettipiece is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Carleton University, part of the College of Humanities. He holds an Hon. BA in Classical Languages from the University of Guelph (2000), an MA in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University (2002), and a PhD in Religious Studies from Université Laval (2006). His research focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to religious cultures of Late Antiquity, particularly Gnostic and Manichaean studies, and the reception of ancient religious ideas in modern media. His teaching interests include Classics and Religion, with a specialization in Manichaean literature and the intersection of late ancient religious texts with contemporary cultural narratives. Key research areas are Coptic Manichaean homilies, Syriac Christianities in Mesopotamia, and gender roles in early religious communities. Dr. Pettipiece’s publications emphasize textual analysis of apocryphal traditions, redaction criticism in Manichaean and early Christian texts, and comparative religious studies. Recent work explores intersections between Manichaean theology and global religious movements, as well as modern reinterpretations of ancient mythologies in popular culture. He currently serves as an academic leader in Carleton’s Religion program, contributing to both undergraduate and graduate curriculum development. His office is located in 2A51 Paterson Hall, and he maintains active engagement with international scholarly networks through conferences and collaborative research projects.

John HardingView profile

Professor

• Japanese Buddhism
• Global modernization of Buddhism
• Buddhism in Canada
• +2 more

John Harding is Professor of East Asian Religions in the Department of History and Religion at the University of Lethbridge, Canada. He has served multiple terms as department chair (2010-2013, 2015, 2018, 2022-2023) and was the founding coordinator of the Asian Studies minor (2013-2017, 2022). He currently teaches Zen Buddhism and World Religions and is a visiting scholar at Aarhus University, Denmark (April–May 2024). Education: BA, Asian Studies (minor Religion), University of Puget Sound, 1994 PhD, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 2003 Research stays in Japan and one year at the University of Cambridge, England Research Interests: Harding specializes in Japanese Buddhism and the global modernization of Buddhism over the past 150 years. His work emphasizes cross-cultural exchanges between Asia and the West, including studies of Buddhism in Canada (notably Jōdo Shinshū in southern Alberta) and transnational Buddhist networks. A secondary focus is the theory and method of studying religion, reflected in widely used textbooks co-authored with Hillary Rodrigues. Recent Publications & Trends: From 2008 to 2024, his publications reveal a sustained investigation into the globalization of Buddhism. Monographs such as Mahayana Phoenix (2008) and Buddhism in the Global Eye (2020) map Japanese and Canadian Buddhist identities within transnational contexts. Edited collections including Wild Geese (2010) and Flowers on the Rock (2014) extend this inquiry to Canadian Buddhist communities, while theoretical pieces interrogate secularization and pedagogy in religious studies. Grants & Awards: SSHRC Insight Grant, “The Modernization of Buddhism in Global Perspective,” 2013–2022, CAD $258,659 (PI, with Victor Sōgen Hori & Alexander Soucy) University of Lethbridge Research Fund, “CREDO: Buddhist Developments of the Western Frontier,” 2009–2011, CAD $17,300 University of Lethbridge Research Fund, “Cultural Responses to Contested Claims of Sacred Place,” 2005, CAD $8,500 Labs, Teams & Service: Harding co-directs the Global Buddha research network (globalbuddha.org) with Hori and Soucy, which disseminates findings from their SSHRC project. He is a past president and current board member of the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, serves on editorial boards, and regularly delivers public lectures such as the “Buddha’s World Tour” PUBlic Professor Series talk (2015).

• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Indian Philosophy
• +7 more

Dr. Brian Black is a Senior Lecturer in Politics, Philosophy, and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. He holds an MA and PhD in the Study of Religions from SOAS, University of London. His research focuses on Hinduism, Buddhism, Indian philosophy, and the intersection of religion with ethics, gender, and secularism in South Asia. He teaches courses on Indian religious traditions and comparative philosophy, with a specialization in ancient Indian texts like the Mahābhārata. His recent work examines the philosophical dimensions of narrative structures in South Asian religious texts. He has co-edited volumes on gender in the Mahābhārata and Indian secularism, and is series co-editor of Dialogues in South Asian Traditions . His current projects analyze the relationship between philosophy and narrative in ancient Indian sources. Education: MA and PhD in Study of Religions (SOAS, University of London). Research Interests: Hinduism, Buddhist ethics, comparative philosophy, Indian secularism, gender in religion, and narrative analysis of religious texts. Publications highlight dialogic structures in the Mahābhārata and interdisciplinary approaches to Indian religious thought. Supervision interests include doctoral work on South Asian religions and ethics.

• World Literature
• Comparative Literature
• Ancient Greek and Roman Literature
• +3 more

Alexander Beecroft is the Jessie Chapman Alcorn Memorial Professor of Foreign Languages at the University of South Carolina, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. His academic career spans roles including Secretary-Treasurer of the American Comparative Literature Association (2011–2019) and Director of the Program in Comparative Literature (2010–2016). Education: Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, Harvard University (2003) B.A. (Honours) in Classics, University of Alberta, Canada (1995) Research Interests: Beecroft specializes in cross-cultural literary studies, focusing on ancient Greek and Roman literature, pre-Tang Chinese literature, and world literature. His work interrogates global literary systems, comparative methodologies, and the intersection of oral traditions with textual canons. Key themes include the role of premodern texts in world literature, the ecology of literary systems, and the dynamics of authorship across cultures. Awards and Honors: Charles A. Ryskamp Research Fellowship (ACLS, 2011–12) Morse Junior Faculty Fellowship (Yale University, 2006–07) University of South Carolina Educational Foundation Research Prize (2015) Teaching and Leadership: Beecroft teaches courses on classical mythology, literary theory, and world literature. He has organized international conferences and panels, including keynotes on global literary history and comparative studies. His administrative roles include committee leadership on research grants and academic policy at the university level. Publications: Beecroft’s monographs include *An Ecology of World Literature* (2015) and *Authorship and Cultural Identity in Early Greece and China* (2010). He contributes to journals such as *Orbis Litterarum*, *Comparative Literature Studies*, and *Journal of World Literature*, with a focus on cross-cultural comparisons and global literary frameworks.

Eric M GreeneView profile

Professor

• Buddhist Studies
• Chinese Buddhism
• Buddhist Meditation
• +4 more

Eric M Greene is a faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies at Yale University, specializing in Chinese Buddhist studies with a particular focus on meditation practices, textual history, and the cultural transmission of Buddhism from India to China during the early medieval period (200-600 CE). Dr. Greene's research reveals how early Chinese Buddhists approached meditation primarily as a means of gaining visionary experiences that were interpreted as indicators of spiritual purity and progress toward liberation. His work demonstrates that these early meditation practices were fundamentally integrated with repentance rituals (chanhui) and divination practices, forming a distinctive religious culture that differed significantly from later Chan (Zen) traditions. Through meticulous analysis of meditation manuals, including newly discovered Dunhuang manuscripts, he reconstructs how Buddhist contemplative practices were transmitted from India and Central Asia to China and adapted within the Chinese religious context. His scholarship spans multiple methodological approaches, combining textual criticism, historical analysis, and phenomenological examination of meditation experiences. A consistent theme in his work is the examination of how early Chinese Buddhists interpreted their visionary experiences and the authority they ascribed to these experiences within their religious framework. His research challenges established narratives about the development of Chinese Buddhism by utilizing newly discovered manuscript evidence that provides fresh perspectives on textual transmission, doctrinal development, and religious practice. Dr. Greene has made significant contributions through his two major monographs published by the University of Hawaii Press: The Secrets of Buddhist Meditation (2021) and Chan Before Chan (2021), which provide comprehensive studies of early Chinese meditation texts along with English translations. His publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly productivity across multiple prestigious journals in Buddhist studies, religious history, and Asian studies, establishing him as a leading scholar in the field of early Chinese Buddhist meditation history.