Dear Colleagues,

You are cardinally invited to attend in person or online the international conference on “Asian Religions in Law and Litigation” from Friday 31 to June 1, 2024 at the University of Pittsburgh. This conference has been generously sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh’s Asian Studies Center, School of Law, Department of Religious Studies, and Japan Council. With an exciting list of 16 scholars in law, history, anthropology, religious studies, and East Asian studies from Europe, Asia, and North America, this conference will discuss the treatment of Asian Religions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Islam, and Bon) in Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Burmese, and American communities.

For details about the conference (schedule, participants, and abstracts) , visit the conference website at https://cuilanliu.com/conference/.

Registration is appreciated but not required. To register, please click the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nOx93_httqoQuc33RevhxuzxkR_ozCVxP2GIqt5...
To join us online, use the following zoom link:

https://pitt.zoom.us/j/93984448528

Zoom ID: 939 8444 8528
Passcode: 867304

For questions, contact Cuilan Liu by email cul3@pitt.edu

Schedule:

Day 1 – Friday, May 31

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM — Opening Remarks
10:30 AM – 12:00 AM — Panel 1 : China
Chair: Cuilan Liu
Taisu Zhang: “Confucianism” and Legality in Qing China
Huaiyu Chen: Legalizing and Legitimizing the Use of Animal Bones in Chinese Buddhism
Gilbert Chen: Temple in Flux: Property, Gender, and Temple Transfer in Qing China (1644-1912)
12:10 PM – 2:00 PM — Lunch Break
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM — Panel 2: The Mongols and the Burmese
Chair: Huaiyu Chen
Bettine Birge: Law and Religion in the Adjudication of Marriage Disputes in China under Mongol Rule (1260-1368)
Paehwan Seol: Clergies and Religion households on the Jarghu (Mongol Inquisition): Embodied Prayer for Great Qans and Legal and Physical Autonomy
Kate Crosby: What is in a judgement? From canonical self-regulation to military control in Burmese Theravada

Day 2 – Saturday, June 1

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM — Panel 3: Japan
Chair: Yasmin Flodin-Ali
Clark Chilson: Lawful Meditation: Naikan and How the Japanese Constitution Incentivized Its Secularization
Ernils Larsson: Religious freedom in pluralist Japan: The SDF Enshrinement case and the balancing of rights of religious communities
Levi McLaughlin: The Politics of Dissolution: The Unification Church in Japan after the Abe Assassination
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM — Break
10:45 AM – 12:15 AM — Panel 4: Tibet
Chair: Benno Weiner
Charles Ramble: Monks and Nuns Behaving Badly: Disciplinary Measures in Tibetan Buddhist and Bonpo Communities of Highland Nepal in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
Weirong Shen: The Yogic Practice of Buddha Amitābha at the Moment of Death: A Fine Blend of the Sūtric and Tantric Practice of Mahayana Buddhism
Cuilan Liu: The Peacock’s Poison: Clerical Immunity in Tibetan Buddhism
12:15 PM – 2:00 PM—Lunch Break
2:30 PM – 4 PM — Panel 5: Beyond Asia
Chair: Clark Chilson
Spearlt: Abdul Maalik Muhammad: A Prisoner Pursuing Divine Justice
Yasmine Flodin-Ali: The Fatwa Function of a Domestic Violence Prevention Manual
Dannial T. Cardillo: Buddhist Inmates and Litigation in the US
4:00 PM-4:15PM — Closing Remarks

The Alliance for Learning in World History is thrilled to announce its call for applications for “Truth, Misinformation, and Technology in World History” a one-day virtual professional development workshop held on Saturday, June 1 from 10:30am-4:00pm Eastern. The ALWH welcomes applications from educators at all levels who would like to explore how to teach and talk about “Truth, Misinformation, and Technology” in a world historical context in their classroom. The theme of is intended to include the widest range of topics and geographic locales. The event also provides teacher's with the opportunity to workshop their own syllabus or assignment that engages with the workshop theme. All accepted participants will receive a $200 stipend. Apply by April 1, 2024!

Workshop Description: These days, educators at all levels are worried about technology in their classrooms. How can we help our students use it responsibly? How can we, as teachers, incorporate technology in our classrooms in ways that help students think about truth claims and the link between information and power?

While AI and ChatGPT dominate today’s discussions about these issues, concern about technology, authenticity, and authority have a long and global history. In this one-day virtual professional development workshop for educators at all levels, our three speakers will explore 500 years of “big data”, technology and political disinformation, and people’s fascination with the idea of “automatic writing.” Apply here by uploading a resume, short letter of interest, and a sample assignment.

The event will feature three keynote talks from three experts engaged in cutting edge research on the themes of truth, misinformation, and technology in world history: Dr. Roopika Risam, Dartmouth College; Dr. Elise Silva, University of Pittsburgh; and Dr. Annette Vee, University of Pittsburgh.