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D. Max Moerman is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures at Barnard College, Columbia University. He holds an A.B. from Columbia College (1986) and a Ph.D. from Stanford University (1999). His research focuses on East Asian Buddhism, particularly the visual and material culture of Japanese religions. His current book project, Geographies of the Imagination: Buddhism and the Japanese World Map , explores intersections between religious thought and cartographic representation. He serves as Co-Chair of Columbia’s Buddhist Studies Seminar and Associate Director of the Columbia Center for Buddhism and Asian Religions. Key research interests include sacred texts like the Lotus Sutra , medieval religious practices, and pilgrimage traditions. His work integrates textual analysis with material culture studies, addressing themes of defilement, sacred geography, and iconography. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Colloquium on Major Texts: East Asia and The Lotus Sutra . He actively contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues on Japanese religious history through his academic leadership roles and publications in journals like the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies .

• East Asian Buddhism
• Visual Culture of Japanese Religions
• Material Culture Studies
• +3 more

John B. Whitman is a Professor of Linguistics at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on language variation, syntax, historical linguistics, and East Asian languages, particularly Japanese and Korean. He explores typological universals, syntactic variation, and diachronic developments, contributing to debates on configurationality and structural universals. Whitman has published extensively on topics ranging from Japanese historical phonology to comparative syntax across East Asian languages. His work often integrates cross-linguistic analysis with neuroscientific insights, as seen in studies on semantic number processing. He has received grants for projects including language revitalization initiatives and syntactic research, and he teaches courses on Japanese language history and language endangerment. Whitman collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and actively engages in linguistic fieldwork and historical text analysis, maintaining affiliations with the East Asia Program and research labs at Cornell. Research interests include syntactic variation, historical syntax, and the interaction between language structure and diachronic change. His recent work examines the evolution of verbal conjugations in Japanese/Korean and the typological implications of syntactic reanalysis. Whitman's publications also address methodological questions in glossing practices and comparative lexicography, bridging historical linguistics with modern computational analysis. Grants and projects include funding from the New Frontier Grants for collaborative research on language documentation and historical syntax. He advises graduate students in the linguistics program and contributes to Cornell's language revitalization efforts, such as Cayuga language preservation initiatives. Whitman's work frequently intersects with cognitive science, as seen in neuroimaging studies of linguistic structures.

• Syntax
• Language Variation
• Historical Linguistics
• +3 more

Lucia Dolce serves as the Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhism within the Department of Religions and Philosophies at SOAS University of London, part of the School of History, Religions and Philosophies. Her academic base is room 342 in the Russell Square: College Buildings campus. Her educational background includes: Laurea MA (University of Venice) PhD (Leiden University) Professor Dolce's research centers on two interconnected projects: first, the discourse on the body in medieval Japanese Buddhist rituals and its connections to continental Tantric practices, emphasizing ritual fluidity and performative theory applications; second, contemporary Buddhism-Shinto syncretism with focus on revival of premodern practices in Kyoto shrines. She also examines Tokyo's urban pilgrimage routes like the Seven Gods of Fortune, analyzing institutional negotiations and religious marketing dynamics. Her journal articles (1992-2023) consistently explore ritual knowledge transfer in Japanese Buddhism, with recent works on scriptural repurposing and tantric exegesis highlighting material culture and practice-centered approaches. Earlier publications establish foundational studies on Nichiren Buddhism's esoteric dimensions, astrological cults, and celestial body worship, revealing enduring thematic threads across three decades of scholarship. Scientific awards: No awards listed in provided text Advising and grants: She currently supervises four PhD candidates: Rachel Williams (Japanese Secularity), Haruka Saito (Repentance Rituals), Sooyeun Yang (Korean Astrological Buddhism), and Yeonju Lee (Korean Nationalism). Previous supervisees include twelve PhD graduates such as Emanuela Sala (2022, Sannō Shintō), Ronit Wang (2022, Thai Hell Parks), and multiple 2011 completions. Dolce led the Newton Fellowship-associated project 'The Lucky Gods of Tokyo' (2014-2016), investigating spatial politics in Buddhist-Shinto pilgrimage networks.

• Japanese Buddhism
• Medieval Japanese Religious Culture
• Ritual Studies
• +7 more

Hiroto Yoshihara is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, School of Culture, Media and Society, specializing in Japanese intellectual history, Buddhist studies, and Sino-Japanese comparative literature. With a Master of Arts from Waseda University, he has conducted extensive research on ancient and medieval Japanese literature, religious history, and cultural exchange between Japan and China. Yoshihara's research interests focus on Japanese intellectual history, ancient and medieval history, Japanese and Chinese literature, Buddhist studies, and Shinto studies. His work particularly examines the intersection of religious thought and literary expression in premodern Japan, with special attention to figures like Prince Shotoku and Sugawara no Michizane (deified as Tenjin). His comparative approach reveals the complex cultural flows between Japan and continental Asia. His scholarly output shows a consistent focus on religious narratives, particularly Buddhist traditions, and their literary expressions. A significant portion of his recent work analyzes the reception and adaptation of Chinese literary and religious traditions in Japan, especially during the Heian period. His research demonstrates how Japanese intellectuals engaged with continental models while developing distinctive local traditions. Yoshihara received the Kubota Utsuho Award in 1987 for his contributions to Japanese literary studies. His research has been supported by numerous grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, including projects on East Asian cultural exchange and religious thought during Japan's regency and Insei periods. He has directed significant research projects, including the Institute for Japanese Religions and Cultural History at Waseda University (2021-2025). His international collaborations, particularly with Chinese academic institutions, reflect his commitment to cross-cultural scholarship and the global dimensions of Japanese religious and literary history.

• Japanese literature
• Japanese history
• History of thought
• +8 more

Professor Jinhua Chen (PhD, McMaster University, 1997) is a leading scholar in East Asian Buddhism at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts. Holding a Canada Research Chair (2001-2011) and inducted into the Royal Society of Canada (2020), his work spans trans-regional Buddhist narratives, monastic institutions, relic veneration, and technological innovations in medieval Asian religions. Key Affiliations: UBC Buddhist Forum (Director), Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (Resident Scholar), and editorial roles in Brill Book Series on East Asian Religions and Studies in Chinese Religions . Research Themes: Combines textual analysis with interdisciplinary methods to explore Buddhist sacred sites, doctrinal transmissions, and church-state dynamics. His projects include From the Ground Up (SSHRC Partnership Grant 2016-2023), examining East Asian religions through multi-media sources, and studies on ruixiang (propitious signs) in medieval Chinese prognostication. Scientific Awards: Royal Society of Canada Fellow, Canada Research Chair, SSHRC Insight Grants, Humboldt Research Fellowship, and Max Planck Institute funding. Publications: Over 30 book chapters and journal articles (2000-2016), including monographs on Fazang, Shingon-Tendai conflicts, and Buddhist sacred geography. Teaching: Courses on Chinese thought, Chan/Zen Buddhism, and Buddhist text interpretation, emphasizing methodological rigor and cross-cultural analysis. Projects: Directed international collaborations on Buddhist manuscripts, palace chapels, and relic cultures, with grants totaling over $4 million CAD.

• East Asian Buddhism
• Buddhist Transmission Narratives
• Church-State Relationships
• +6 more

Dr. Brigitte Steger is a Senior Lecturer in Modern Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, where she serves as a Fellow in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Downing College. She teaches modern Japanese society courses and directs graduate affairs while serving as Secretary of the Degree Committee. MA, MPhil, PhD in Japanese Studies (University of Vienna) Visiting researcher at multiple Japanese universities Co-founder of Cambridge Creative Circular Plastics Centre sub-project Her research focuses on cultural anthropology of Japanese daily life, particularly sleep practices (inemuri), gender dynamics in urban spaces, disaster response rituals, and cleanliness/waste practices. She conceptualizes sleep as socio-cultural performance and examines temporal practices in premodern Japan. Recent publications analyze Heian-era sleep patterns, 2011 tsunami shelter hygiene, and plastic consumption in consumer societies. She leads international research on historical timekeeping and contemporary waste practices. Her edited volumes explore Japanese gender diversity, including 'herbivore boys' and manga girl culture. Scientific awards: Bank Austria Prize (2002) Vorarlberg Science Award (2005) University of Cambridge weekly research contributor She supervises graduate research projects and serves on the European Association for Japanese Studies and Japan Anthropology Workshop councils. Her 2025-26 sabbatical focuses on completing Heian-period sleep research.

• Japanese society
• Cultural anthropology
• Gender studies
• +5 more

Ryuichi Abe is the Reischauer Institute Professor of Japanese Religions at Harvard University, currently on leave during 2025-26. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Columbia University and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on East Asian religions, premodern Japanese religions, and Buddhism. Education B.A. in Economics from Keio University M.A. from School of Advanced International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Columbia University Professor Abe's research focuses on Japanese Buddhism and its intersections with visual culture, literature, and gender studies. He explores historical developments of esoteric Buddhist traditions and interactions between Shinto and Buddhist practices. His work spans critical analyses of Buddhist textual theory, medieval origin narratives, and the cultural impact of figures like Zen Master Ryōkan. Publications include studies on Kūkai's esoteric discourse, the Lotus Sutra's medieval interpretations, and Xuanzang's Heart Sutra in Japanese kami worship contexts. Key themes in his research include ritual consecration, medieval Buddhist environments, and the symbolic integration of Shinto elements into Buddhist frameworks. He has contributed to journals such as Japanese Journal of Religious Studies and Impressions .

• Buddhism and visual culture
• Buddhism and literature
• Buddhist theory of language
• +5 more

Remco Breuker is a Professor of Korean Studies at Leiden University’s Humanities Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), specializing in medieval Korean and Northeast Asian history, North Korean affairs, and contemporary issues. His research bridges historical analysis with modern geopolitical challenges, particularly focusing on marginalized voices and historical narratives. He leads ERC-sponsored and LeidenAsiaCentre-funded projects on Manchurian histories and North Korean forced labor in the EU. Breuker holds a PhD from Leiden University and has held post-doctoral and visiting researcher roles at institutions like the Australian National University. Education: MA in Japanese Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean Studies (Leiden University, 1997) MA in Korean History (Seoul National University, 2001) PhD in Korean History (Leiden University, 2006) Research Interests: Breuker’s work examines medieval Korea’s Koryŏ dynasty, Northeast Asian historiography, and modern North Korean political dynamics. He translates modern Korean literature into Dutch, emphasizing marginalized perspectives and cultural hybridity. Recent projects include analyzing North Korean forced labor networks and reinterpreting ancient Manchurian histories’ contemporary relevance. Awards: 2010 KNAW Heineken Young Scientist Award Academy of Korean Studies Translation Grants (2010, 2008) NWO VENI Research Grant (2008) Advisees & Grants: Supervises PhD candidates researching Korean-Vietnam War linkages, Japanese-Korean relations, and North Korean forced labor. Secured grants exceeding €600,000 for translation projects and interdisciplinary research. Leads LIAS initiatives and serves on Leiden’s Slavery Studies Association. Labs/Teams: Coordinates the History as Social Practice project and the Slavery Studies Leiden network, fostering collaborative research on historical narratives and modern exploitation systems.

• Korean medieval history
• Northeast Asian history
• Korean cinema
• +4 more

Melissa McCormick, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Japanese Art and Culture at Harvard University, holds a Ph.D. in Japanese Art History from Princeton University (2000) and a B.A. in art history and Japanese from the University of Michigan (1990). She has taught at Columbia University as the Atsumi Assistant Professor of Japanese Art (2000-05) and at Harvard since 2005, where she was promoted to Professor with tenure in 2009. She has held visiting professorships at the University of Zurich and Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil. Education : University of Michigan (B.A.), Princeton University (Ph.D.), Gakushūin University (1996-98) Affiliations : Harvard Art Museums, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NHK Documentaries, Getty Foundation Her research explores the interplay of text and image in Japanese art, focusing on emaki (narrative scrolls), The Tale of Genji , and Buddhist themes. Her 2018 monograph The Tale of Genji: A Visual Companion and 2009 book Tosa Mitsunobu and the Small Scroll in Medieval Japan established new frameworks for analyzing scroll format and narrative. Current projects examine Buddhist nun-artist Ōtagaki Rengetsu and bridal manuscript traditions. Selected articles highlight her work on Hakubyō (ink-line painting), medieval Genji genealogies, and the poetics of chigo (novice) tales. She has contributed to exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Dartmouth College’s Hood Museum. Scientific Awards : Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities (1990) At Harvard, McCormick teaches courses ranging from introductory surveys ( Arts of Japan ) to advanced seminars on gender, tea culture, and museum research. She co-curated the 2019 Tale of Genji exhibition at the Met, which received critical acclaim, and developed an edX course with over 20,000 enrollments. Her consultancy work extends to opera and dance companies, including Japan Society and Asia Society of Texas.

• Japanese Art History
• Visual Storytelling
• Text-Image Relationship
• +7 more

Martha Easton is an Associate Professor of Art History and Program Director of Museum Studies at Saint Joseph's University. She specializes in medieval art and architecture, with a focus on illuminated manuscripts, gender and hagiography, feminist theory, and medieval collecting practices. Easton is a founding member of the Material Collective, a collaborative dedicated to innovative approaches to visual culture, and has lectured extensively at institutions like the Met Cloisters. Education : PhD in Fine Arts (Institute of Fine Arts, New York University) with major fields in Early Christian and Medieval Art; minor in Japanese Art Certificate of Curatorial Studies (Institute of Fine Arts/The Metropolitan Museum of Art) MA in Fine Arts (Institute of Fine Arts, New York University) BA in History (Carleton College) Her research explores intersections of gender, medievalism, and the afterlife of medieval art in modern collections. She is currently writing a book on John Hays Hammond Jr., a scientist-collector who built Hammond Castle, and has published widely on feminist art history, medieval eroticism, and the Material Collective’s collaborative scholarship. Scientific Awards : Michael J. Morris Grant for Scholarly Research (2020-21) Teaching Innovation Grant (2020) Senior Research Fellowship, Center for the History of Collecting (The Frick Collection, 2015) Samuel H. Kress Foundation Travel Grant (1998) Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship (1996-97) Easton has taught at institutions including Seton Hall University, Bryn Mawr College, and New York University, and her work bridges medieval scholarship with modern curatorial practices and feminist reinterpretation of historical narratives.

• Medieval Art
• Gender and Hagiography
• Feminist Theory
• +3 more

Michael Como Tōshū Fukami is an Associate Professor of Shinto Studies at Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures. He holds a BA from Harvard University (1985) and a PhD from Stanford University (2000). His research focuses on the transmission of rituals, deities, and technologies to Japan, particularly during the Asuka to Heian periods. Current projects include a monograph on urbanization and materiality of religious performance in 8th–9th century Japan. His teaching includes courses such as the Colloquium on Major Texts in East Asia and Graduate Seminar in Japanese Religion. Research interests span cultural transmission, local religious traditions, and theological innovation tied to urbanization. Recent publications examine medieval Shintō, immigrant deities in ancient Japan, and the role of violence in Buddhist formation. He has held office at Columbia’s 307 80 Claremont and is listed among faculty in the department. No awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

• Transmission of Rituals
• East Asian Religious Traditions
• Urbanization and Theological Innovation
• +3 more

Mimi Yiengpruksawan is a Professor of History of Art at Yale University, affiliated with the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, the Council on East Asian Studies, the Council on Southeast Asian Studies, and the Program in Medieval Studies. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA (1988) and joined Yale in 1990, achieving tenure in 1998. Her research focuses on Buddhist art in nonmodern Japan and Eurasian cultural exchanges, emphasizing cross-regional and interdisciplinary approaches to study contact-driven cultural formation. Her academic work includes two major manuscripts: Michinaga’s Peacocks: A Heian World in Transition (examining exogenous influences on Kyoto’s art) and Kyoto in the Twilight of the Dharma (focusing on eschatological patronage). She also explores early modern Japanese global interactions, analyzing visual production during the 'Nanban' period. Recent research bridges environmental history with art, linking the 1006 supernova and Buddhist prophecies to artistic developments. Key publications include analyses of Buddhist iconography, transnational art networks, and transcultural architecture. She is a leading figure in rethinking Heian Japan’s cultural interconnectedness, challenging isolationist narratives through material evidence and primary sources.

• Buddhist Art and Architecture
• Japanese Art History
• East Asian Art
• +4 more

Steven T. Brown is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Oregon, affiliated with the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages within the College of Arts and Sciences. His scholarship examines Japanese visual culture through transnational frameworks, with expertise in horror cinema, posthumanism, and critical theory. His academic credentials include: B.A. in East Asian Studies and Classics, University of Illinois (1987, Summa Cum Laude) M.A. in East Asian Studies, Stanford University (1988) Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, Stanford University (1994) Brown's research investigates sensory dimensions of Japanese cinema—particularly sound design in J-horror and slow-burn aesthetics—while exploring anime's engagement with posthuman identity. His work bridges Surrealist film theory, transnational cultural flows, and Japanese popular media, revealing how visual narratives interrogate human-machine boundaries in digital societies. Key contributions include analyzing Kurosawa Kiyoshi's sonic landscapes and Ghost in the Shell's technological uncanny. His publication trajectory from Noh theater studies (1990s) to contemporary anime/horror analysis (2000s-2010s) demonstrates evolving focus on sensory experience in visual media. Articles consistently address transnational cultural exchange, with recurring themes of gender representation, technological embodiment, and Japanese-Western artistic dialogues across 27 years of scholarship. Scientific awards: No awards listed in source material While the text doesn't specify current advisees or grants, Brown's extensive publication record—including three monographs with Palgrave Macmillan and Stanford University Press—suggests significant research impact. His editorial work on special journal issues indicates scholarly leadership in Japanese performance studies and anime criticism. No dedicated research labs or collaborative teams are mentioned, though his transnational approach implies cross-institutional academic networks.

• Comparative Literature
• Film Studies
• Japanese Popular Culture
• +4 more

Małgorzata K. Citko-DuPlantis is an Assistant Professor of Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Tennessee’s Department of World Languages and Cultures, within the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, alongside M.A. and B.A. degrees from Polish institutions (Collegium Civitas and University of Warsaw). Her research interrogates the instability of premodern knowledge systems, focusing on the Man’yōshū’s evolving cultural significance across medieval and modern eras. She challenges the canonical fixation on a single manuscript of this foundational poetry collection, arguing its role as a malleable cultural construct. Her work spans interdisciplinary areas including digital humanities, medieval Japanese poetry reception, and contemporary pop-media depictions of premodern Japan. Citko-DuPlantis has authored/co-authored monographs and peer-reviewed articles in English, Polish, and Japanese, with notable works like Clashes of Dragons and Dragonflies (2012) and her forthcoming monograph Embracing Instability: Imagining “Man’yoshū” in Medieval and Modern Japan . She has been awarded grants from the Japan Foundation, Fulbright, and MEXT, and has presented at major conferences such as the Association for Asian Studies and MLA. Her research awards reflect sustained scholarly impact, complemented by multilingual competence in languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Citko-DuPlantis actively engages with both academic and public spheres, bridging historical textual analysis with modern cultural phenomena.

• Japanese Literature and Culture
• Premodern Cultural Studies
• Digital Humanities
• +4 more

Hank Glassman is the Janet and Henry Richotte 1985 Professor of Asian Studies and Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Haverford College. He teaches courses on Buddhism, Religion and Gender, East Asian Religions, Japanese Literature, Language, and History, with a particular focus on Japanese civilization from ancient times to 1995. Education: A.B., Columbia College Ph.D., Stanford University Research Interests: Religion and gender in medieval Japanese Buddhism Courtly ideals and civil wars in 12th–15th century Japan Urban development and cultural expression in 17th century Japan Interdisciplinary analysis of historical cultural frameworks Scientific Awards: Janet and Henry Richotte 1985 Professorship in Asian Studies

• Medieval Japanese Buddhism
• Religion and Gender
• Japanese History
• +3 more