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/

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”

Student Report on Religion + Protest: Reinterpretation as a Method For/Against Social Movements

Reported by Yongkun Vicky Wu, class of 2026

Religion + Protest is part of HRC’s Tuesday Night Conversation Series, Religion+X, hosted by the Religion+ research group. The informal conversations focus on the intersection between religion and a different topic each week and feature an array of faculty guest speakers. 

Photographed by Shuyuan Zhou

Do religions support or resist the authorities? If so, in what way particularly? The Tuesday Religion + Protest Conversation, hosted by James Miller and featuring Hyun Jeong Ha (research interests include power, religion, sectarianism, and gender in the Middle East), Jesse Olsavsky (teaches and researches broadly in social movements, U.S. history and politics, and African American history) and Megan Rogers (research focuses on religion in contemporary China, and she has a particular interest in the intersection of religion and social inequality) revolved around the primary tactic (though not the only) of reinterpretation. Continue reading “Student Report on Religion + Protest: Reinterpretation as a Method For/Against Social Movements”