News
Past News
"Zen and the Art of Mumbo Jumbo in Haiku" by
Dr. Adam Kern,
University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this April 12, 2012 talk, Dr. Kern drew upon his research and translations
for the forthcoming “Penguin Book of Haiku.”
Congratulations to M.A. students Eric M. Bowler and Alfredo Hernandez Corsen who presented at the 118th Annual Conference of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters at Alma College on March 2. Bowler's paper, "Innocent's Interdicts: An Examination of the Medieval Papacy's Religious Authority" and Corsen's "The Illusion of Common Identity" were delivered to the Religious Studies section, presided over by Professor Brian C. Wilson, who also presented his own work, "The Rise and Fall of the Temple of Health: Religion, Medicine, and the Battle Creek Sanitarium." This was the first time in many years that the Michigan Academy offered a section in Religious Studies and given WMU's excellent participation this year, Professor Wilson would like to encourage both graduate and undergraduate Comparative Religion students to consider submitting a paper for next year's conference, which will be held at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
"Neither Radical Nor Secular: The West Struggles with the New Islamism" by Dr. Blain Auer, assistant professor, was published in Religion Dispatches. His forthcoming book, Symbols of Authority in Medieval Islam: History, Religion, and Muslim Legitimacy in the Delhi Sultanate, will be published by I. B. Tauris Press in May.
The 2012 Religion and Culture Study Abroad Seminar will take participants to three Japanese locations: Tokyo, one of the world’s largest cities and a center of religious and culture life both modern and traditional; Nikko, a cultural heritage site near Tokyo; and Kyoto, a city famous for its ancient temples. In Tokyo we stay at Zojoji, a temple located just under Tokyo Tower. We travel to the HQ of new religions, to Shinto shrines, museums and receive behind the scenes tours of Buddhist temples. In Nikko we stay at Manganji, where we do waterfall purification and help with the fire ceremony. We later take the bullet train to Kyoto to explore the walkways and temples of this wonderful city. A past student said, “I have learned more and been exposed to more Buddhism than is possible in a lifetime of reading and studying in the United States.” Join us for an amazing learning experience.
Japanese studies has received $140,000 in grant funding from the Japan Foundation's Institutional Project Support Program. The grant application was written by Stephen Covell, department chair and director of WMU's Michitoshi Soga Japan Center, and Jeffrey Angles, associate professor of Japanese languages and literature.
Dr. Stephen Covell, professor and chair, shares his lifelong obsessions with martial arts and Japan, and how they led him to study Japanese religion. Covell tells of his early passions, and the growing importance of the Michitoshi Soga Japan Center in southwest Michigan.
Hinduism in the U.S. - Innovations and Issues Conference,
May 20, 2011
Poster
Congratulations to Lydia Walker for receiving a $700 travel award from The Graduate College and a $600 supplemental international travel grant from the Graduate Student Advisory Committee! Lydia will present a paper, “The ‘Scepter of the Jews’ in Riccoldo da Monte Croce’s Ad nationes orientale, ”at the Mediterranean Studies Association International Congress in Corfu, Greece.
Congratulations to this year's award winners!
- Brittany Tovar - Presidential Scholar and Phi Betta Kappa
- Sean Butler - Graduate College, Department Scholar Award
- Jason Aiello - Graduate College, Department Graduate Teachers Award
- Scott Watson - Department of Comparative Religion Award for Academic Excellence
Congratulations to Dr. Brian Wilson for being selected to receive a College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Achievement Award in Professional and Community Service! The award was created as a result of the College of Arts and Sciences Strategic Plan to recognize faculty contributions to the service goals of the College. (March 2011)