A Visit to Wudangshan

From March 21 to March 24, 2024, DKU Professors Hwa Yeong Wang and James Miller, along with two Religious Studies students, Caroline Moon and Mateja Bokan, traveled for an enriching educational journey to Wuhan University, followed by a visit to the sacred Daoist Wudang Mountain. This trip, organized by the Humanities Research Center, was aimed at deepening students’ understanding of Confucian and Daoist philosophies through direct engagement with cultural practices and scholarly discussions. Continue reading “A Visit to Wudangshan”

中西太空探索的精神 The Spirit of Space Exploration in China and the West

昆山杜克大学人文研究中心荣幸地宣布,我们将于202466日至8日在中国江苏省昆山市以线上线下相结合的方式举办关于中西太空探索的精神的学术会议,并向各界人士诚征提案

English

本次会议旨在探讨不同文学、文化、宗教传统中的思想、人物、世界观和叙事如何与当代中外对太空空间的探索研究相联系我们诚邀来自不同学术领域和背景的科学家以及作家、文学家等人文学者加入我们,参与到这场中外对话之中

本次会议将围绕跨学科研究的前沿领域 太空文化(Astroculture) 旨在理解太空时代的文化历史Geppert 2012)。虽然目前的宇宙文化研究侧重于欧美,但近年来对俄罗斯太空时代的研究也有所增加。然而,尽管中国对地外空间有着悠久的文化和科学研究史,对中国方面的太空文化研究却相对较少。我们的会议将致力于填补这一知识上的空缺,将对中国太空探索的文化研究与西方学术界联系起来

各国对太空探索的持续投入证明了太空竞赛不只是为了展示科技实力或体现军事的领先。在西方,征服太空的追求表现了更深层的与太空中神圣存在相遇的欲望,而近来宇宙文化中的宗教因素也吸引了更多学术关注。例如,基于基督教启发的叙事我们的星球描述为一个需要逃脱的堕落之地,亦或者是亟待开拓的新疆。这样的叙事深刻地影响了杰夫·贝佐斯、伊隆·马斯克等致力太空探索的企业家的言辞(Rubenstein 2022)。同样的,学者们也指出太空竞赛在某些新的宗教运动——比如雷尔主义或科学教——的形成中扮演了起到了重要作用

然而,学界对西方世界以外的太空计划以及其潜在的与亚洲文化、宗教、哲学传统和背景的关联却关注甚少。中国或印度的太空探索背后是哪些更深层的宇宙观?当亚洲的太空探索者遭遇地外生命时,他们将遵循怎样的价值观和伦理法则?哪一种探索和理解宇宙的角度可以避免我们的地球陷入环境危机之中?全球化时代的太空探索要求学者们用跨学科和跨文化的方式思考这一系列问题

主题演讲嘉宾

陈楸帆

陈楸帆是中国重要的科幻作者创意制作人。他是耶鲁大学的研究员,并在博古睿研究院担任研究员。他与前谷歌大中华区总裁李开复合著了《AI2041:预见个未来新世界》

Jeffrey Kripal

Jeffrey Kripal博士在莱斯大学担任哲学和宗教研究部门的主席。具有代表性的基本著作有:《伊沙兰:美国与无宗教的宗教》和《蛇的礼赠:诺斯底主义关于宗教研究的思考》。他被公认为宗教、超自然和不可能性方面的领先理论家

Mary-Jane Rubenstein

Mary-Jane Rubenstein是一位科学和宗教哲学家,著有多本作品,最著名的是Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race她在描绘的太空探索的愿景中探讨了摒弃地球殖民此类暴行的可能性,而她的研究也提倡科幻故事更多地关注宇宙自身而非宇宙探索的潜在利益

苏萌

苏萌,作为起源太空的创始人兼CEO,是当今最重要的太空科学家之一。苏萌教授本科毕业于北京大学物理学院,并于哈佛大学获天体物理学博士,他也是麻省理工学院Pappalardo Fellowship和NASA Einstein Fellowship的获得者。凭借对银河系的泡状结构的发现,他于2014年成为了美国天文学会高能天体物理学最高奖Bruno Rossi Prize最年轻的共同得主。

文章主

我们接受不同主题的文章。文章的主题包括但不限于

  • 中外宗教、哲学或文化中的对太空科学家和宇航员的想
  • 中外科幻作品的对未来太空世界的构
  • 外星人与亚洲人/作为外星人的亚洲
  • 亚洲传统思想与文化、以及其对于行星文明和太空文化内涵的影响  
  • 与本次会议主题相关的艺术干预

本次会议语言为英语

截止时

请于20231231日前将文章题目,200英文字摘要,以及一份简短的个人信息发送至邮箱<ben.van.overmeire@dukekunshan.edu.cn,并于2024131日前告知我们您是否会线下或程参加会议

我们鼓励学者尽可能亲临现场参加。昆山紧邻苏州与上海,并可通过机场和高铁轻松抵达。在昆山市的花销将由昆山杜克大学人文研究中心承担,但我们将无法资助差旅费用。请与组织者联系以获取更多有关差旅的信息

本次会议结束时,我们将探讨以期刊特刊或编辑书籍的方式出版本次会议上的文章的可能性

如有任何问题,请通过邮件联系James Miller <jem122@duke.edu> Ben Van Overmeire <ben.van.overmeire@dukekunshan.edu.cn>

The Spirit of Space Exploration in China and the West 中西太空探索的精神

Duke Kunshan University Humanities Research Center is pleased to announce a call for proposals for a conference on “The Spirit of Space Exploration in China and the West,” to be held in person and virtually in Kunshan, Jiangsu, China, from June 6-8, 2024.

中文

This conference will explore how ideas, characters, worldviews, and narratives from literary, cultural, and religious traditions engage with contemporary space exploration in China and the West. It will do so by inviting scholarly and creative contributions from a wide variety of disciplines, bringing humanities scholars, scientists and authors from China and the west in dialogue with each other.

The conference theme is located in the cutting-edge interdisciplinary field of astroculture, which aims to understand the cultural history of the space age (Geppert 2012). Though research on astroculture has mainly focused on America and Europe, there is a growing body of research on Russia as well. Much less has been done on China, despite its long history of cultural and scientific inquiry into outer space. Our conference aims to address this gap in our knowledge and to bring it into conversation with scholarship from the West. Continue reading “The Spirit of Space Exploration in China and the West 中西太空探索的精神”

James Miller appointed Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress

James Miller, co-director of the Humanities Research Center, has been appointed  as a distinguished visiting scholar at The John W. Kluge Center of the LIbrary of Congress and will take up a four month residency there starting on September 5, 2023.

Main reading room of the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congress

The Kluge Center annually brings top scholars and researchers into residence at the Library to distill wisdom from the library’s rich resources and to interact with policymakers and the public. Scholars conduct research in the library and participate  in informal meetings with Members of Congress and Congressional staff on topics of mutual interest.

The topic of Professor Miller’s research is “Planetary Responsibility and the Spirit of Chinese Innovation.” It aims to draw on Chinese philosophical, religious and ethical thinking to develop a planetary ethic to guide responsible scientific and technological innovation with respect to space exploration and astrobiology.

“Carl Sagan famously asked whether we have the right to interfere in life on Mars, even if it is only microbial life,” noted Professor Miller. “I want to consider these questions of astrobiological ethics from a Chinese philosophical perspective. What can we learn from Chinese wisdom that may fruitfully guide the world as it explores space and searches for extraterrestrial life within our solar system and beyond?”

Professor Miller’s research will contribute to a forthcoming international conference that will be held at DKU in Spring 2024 on the topic of Religious and Cultural Perspectives on Outer Space. The conference, co-organized with DKU professor Ben Van Overmeire aims to bring Chinese and foreign scholars and scientists together to discuss the culture, ethics and values of space exploration and extraterrestrial life.

 

Religion+Violence

The Humanities Research Center Religion+ Group is pleased to announce its forthcoming conversation, Religion+Violence, featuring DKU professors Bryce Beemer and Hyun Jeong Ha.

Where: Water Pavilion
When: Tuesday April 18, from 6-7:30pm.

Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Religion+Archeology, with Kent Cao and Scott MacEachern

Religion+Archeology, with Kent Cao and Scott MacEachern
Date/Time:
April 4, 6:00-7:30pm
Location: DKU Water Pavilion
*Snacks and drinks provided! Join us!

The Tuesday Night Conversation Series, Religion+X., hosted by Religion+ research group of the Humanities Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, will take place every Tuesday from 6:30pm-8pm and feature DKU religious studies professors James Miller, Tommaso Tesei and Ben Van Overmeire in informal conversation with other DKU professors on a wide range of topics. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and students are warmly invited to join in the conversation with the professors.  Events are planned to be in person, but may be moved online in accordance with Covid policies.

See the line-up for the coming weeks: https://sites.duke.edu/dkuhumanities/religion-group-announces-tuesday-night-conversation-series/

Student Report on Religion + Empire

Reported by Shivam Mani, Class of 2025

This talk was a part of the HRC’s Religion+ event series, held in-person on the DKU campus. Each event connects a topic to religion, and faculty are invited to speak on their work and/or ideas about the intersection of the topics.

 This event brought Prof. Bryce Beemer, Prof. Titas Chakraborty, and Prof. Tommaso Tesei together for a conversation about the role of religion in the formation, development, and behaviors of empires throughout history. Continue reading “Student Report on Religion + Empire”

Religion+Animals, with Ben Van Overmeire and Claudia Nisa

Religion+Animals, with Ben Van Overmeire and Claudia Nisa
Date/Time:
March 28, 6:00-7:30pm
Location: DKU Water Pavilion
*Snacks and drinks provided! Join us!

 

The Tuesday Night Conversation Series, Religion+X., hosted by Religion+ research group of the Humanities Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, will take place every Tuesday from 6:30pm-8pm and feature DKU religious studies professors James Miller, Tommaso Tesei and Ben Van Overmeire in informal conversation with other DKU professors on a wide range of topics. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and students are warmly invited to join in the conversation with the professors.  Events are planned to be in person, but may be moved online in accordance with Covid policies.

See the line-up for the coming weeks: https://sites.duke.edu/dkuhumanities/religion-group-announces-tuesday-night-conversation-series/

Religion+Aliens, with Ben Van Overmeire and James Miller

Religion+Aliens, with Ben Van Overmeire and James Miller
Date/Time:
March 21, 6:00-7:30pm
Location: DKU Water Pavilion
*Snacks and drinks provided! Join us!

 

The Tuesday Night Conversation Series, Religion+X., hosted by Religion+ research group of the Humanities Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, will take place every Tuesday from 6:30pm-8pm and feature DKU religious studies professors James Miller, Tommaso Tesei and Ben Van Overmeire in informal conversation with other DKU professors on a wide range of topics. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and students are warmly invited to join in the conversation with the professors.  Events are planned to be in person, but may be moved online in accordance with Covid policies.

See the line-up for the coming weeks: https://sites.duke.edu/dkuhumanities/religion-group-announces-tuesday-night-conversation-series/

Religion+ Group Announces Schedule for Session 4

The Religion+ research group at Duke Kunshan University is pleased to announce its Tuesday Night Conversation Series, Religion+X.

In session 4 these will take place at the earlier time of 6pm-730pm and feature DKU religious studies professors James Miller, Tommaso Tesei and Ben Van Overmeire in informal conversation with other DKU professors on a wide range of topics. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and students are warmly invited to join in the conversation with the professors.  Events are planned to be in person, but may be moved online in accordance with Covid policies.

Location: Water Pavilion on DKU campus

The  line-up is as follows. Continue reading “Religion+ Group Announces Schedule for Session 4”