Institute of Buddhist Studies

Spring 2014 Numata Sympsoium April 18, 2014

Please join us for a one-day symposium, supported by the Numata Foundation, hosted at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley. Narrative in Buddhist Texts, Practice and Transmission  April 18, 2014 (Friday) 9:00 am - 5:30 pm  Speakers include: Dr. Charles Hallisey, Harvard Divinity School Dr. Richard K. Payne, Institute of Buddhist Studies Dr. Michael D. Nichols, Saint Joseph's College (Indiana) For more information, visit our website at http://www.shin-ibs.edu/narrative

Institute of Buddhist Studies www.shin-ibs.edu

América Latina -Asia Pacífico

El observatorio América Latina -Asia Pacífico lanza el segundo debate del Foro Académico denominado: China y América latina, ¿un nuevo escenario de relacionamiento?

Lo invitamos a participar y formar parte de la propuesta, incorporando su comentario en el canal de comunicación de la sección debates del foro.

Las conclusiones serán publicadas en un documento que será distribuido entre los miembros del Observatorio.

Para participar del debate ingrese al siguiente link:

http://www.observatorioasiapacifico.com/OBSExternalUI/pages/public/debateForm.jsf?di=7

Esperando sea de su interés, lo saluda muy atentamente.

Ignacio Bartesaghi
Observatorio América Latina - Asia Pacífico.
Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración - ALADI
Tel.: +598 2 410.1121 Int.: 2231
Fax: +598 2 419.0649
Cebollatí 1461  
Código Postal 11200
Montevideo - Uruguay
http://www.observatorioasiapacifico.org

Seminario: “La estrategia china hacia el liderazgo económico y político mundial”

Barcelona

El Centro de Estudios Internacionales junto con la Fundación Instituto Confucio de Barcelona, con la colaboración de Casa Asia, entre otros, organizan el próximo 27 de marzo en el Palau Macaya de Barcelona un seminario sobre la proyección exterior de China, desde un enfoque macroeconómico y analizando la estrategia del gigante asiático en busca del liderazgo político y económico mundial.

Fecha

27/03/2014 15:00 h

Horario

27 de marzo de 2014 de 15.00 a 19.00 h

Lugar

Palau Macaya
Pg. Sant Joan, 108
Barcelona

Entrada

Entrada gratuita

Organizador

Centro de Estudios Internacionales y Fundación Instituto Confucio de Barcelona, con la colaboración de Casa Asia, entre otros

Contacto

casaasia@casaasia.es

Información relacionada

Más información

11-03-2014

Etiquetas

economía , Centro de Estudios Internacionales , política mundial , China

Seoul National University rises in world university rankings

Yonhap News Agency March 17, 2014 8:14am March 17, 2014 8:14am

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Seoul National University (SNU) took 44th place in one of the most influential international university rankings released on Monday.

South Korea had SNU and six other institutions of higher learning in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2013-2014. SNU led the local pack, rising from 59th a year ago.
Founded in 1971, the British magazine Times Higher Education (THE) publishes the annual world university rankings based on teaching, international outlook, industry income, research and citations.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) moved up 12 notches to 56th place while Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech) and Yonsei University slipped 10 places to 60th and seven places to 190th, respectively.
Korea University and Sungkyunkwan University were in the 201-225 bracket, while Hanyang University was in the 350-400 grouping.
As of last year, California Institute of Technology remained on top of the overall rankings while Harvard University and Oxford University tied for the No. 2 spot.
Standford University came fourth, closely followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Princeton University. Japan's Tokyo University was ranked 23rd, the highest among Asian universities.

Buddhism, Mind, and Cognitive Science

Toll Room, Alumni House, University of California, Berkeley


This conference is made possible by a grant from The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation.
This conference is dedicated to the exploration of the methodological underpinnings of the current encounter between Buddhism and cognitive science. Recently, this encounter has been criticized for failing to take account of the historical and cultural complexities of Buddhist thought and practice, failing to reflect the most recent developments in cognitive science, neglecting the hermeneutic issues that complicate attempts to relate traditional Buddhist psychology to contemporary scientific theories, and neglecting traditional Buddhist epistemologies that are incompatible with the "neurophysicalism" that motivates some of the scientific research. Given such critiques, how might one proceed? Is there some way to mitigate the methodological (historical, hermeneutic, philosophical) quandaries that threaten to unravel the Buddhism-cognitive science dialogue? Is there a way to bring these disparate traditions into conversation without sacrificing the intellectual depth and sophistication of each? Or is such an endeavor misguided in principle? Is it merely another in a long history of attempts to legitimize Buddhism by claiming its compatibility with science? Our interest lies not in rehearsing the critique, but instead in exploring how, if at all, the encounter might move forward.

Friday, April 25, 2014
Toll Room, Alumni House
Session 1: 4:00 – 7:00 pm
Welcome and introduction to the conference:
•  Robert Sharf (Buddhist Studies), University of California, Berkeley
Plenary talks:
•  Evan Thompson (Philosophy), University of British Columbia
•  Clifford Saron (Neuroscience), University of California, Davis
Open discussion

Saturday, April 26, 2014
Toll Room, Alumni House
Session 2: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Chair: Robert Sharf (Buddhist Studies), University of California, Berkeley
Presentations:
•  John Dunne (Buddhist Studies), Emory University Antoine Lutz
•  Lawrence Barsalou (Psychology), Emory University
•  Antoine Lutz (Neuroscience), Neuroscience Research Center, Lyon
•  Rebecca Todd (Psychology), University of British Columbia
•  Laurence Kirmayer (Psychiatry), McGill University
•  Carol Worthman (Anthropology), Emory University

Saturday, April 26, 2014
Toll Room, Alumni House
Session 3: 2:00 – 6:30 pm
Chair: Evan Thompson (Philosophy), University of British Columbia
Presentations:
•  Christian Coseru (Philosophy), College of Charleston
•  Thomas Metzinger (Philosophy), Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
•  Dan Arnold (Philosophy of Religion), University of Chicago
•  Georges Dreyfus (Buddhist Studies), Williams College
•  Robert Sharf (Buddhist Studies), University of California, Berkeley
•  John Tresch (History and Sociology of Science), University of Pennsylvania

Read more or reply

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Korea Joongang Daily

Korea looks to Germany for insight

Defectors can aid in preparations

Mar 24,2014

To realize the unification of two Germanys, politicians in West Germany made bipartisan efforts to maintain an integrated and consistent position that transcended what they stood to gain politically, despite how strong their feelings may have been to the contrary.

Previously, conservatives and liberals stood on opposites sides of a sharp divide and were conflicted over policy-making on the issue. The Christian Democrats (CDU) of West Germany held a strict position of combating the Communist East, while the Social Democrats(SPD) supported close cooperation and reconciliation with the East, Poland and the Soviet bloc.

In 1969, Willy Brandt, the leader of the SPD at the time, began to implement a policy of Ostpolitik, which emphasized rapprochement with East Germany and other Soviet countries. While the CDU was traditionally strongly opposed to reunification, its leaders eventually shifted in their reluctance, increasing their acceptance of some SPD reforms over time while also appearing to adapt some CDU convictions with SPD ideology.

Since then, Germany has maintained its stance on unification policy, regardless of which party has been in the majority.

And analysts in Seoul point out that South Korea should also make bipartisan efforts to implement a consistent policy on unification.

Former presidents have historically refused the policies of their conservative or liberal predecessors when it comes to North-South integration, proposing new or revised frameworks instead. Although there were two inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, in which the two sides declared to work toward overcoming ideological differences and establishing permanent peace, the implementation of the agreements resulting from those talks have remained at the center of a fierce debate between the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition.

“Although it is important that the current administration makes achievements in inter-Korean relations, we need to meet the goal of setting up an integrated unification policy that can be inherited to the next generation,” said Chon Hyun-joon, the head of the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Institute.

“For this, the presidential preparatory committee for unification should embrace analysts beyond their age and ideology, and allow them to have enough discussions for a policy that all people can accept,” he said. “However, it would take time.”

Former Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun added that a long-term vision was also necessary.

“We need a strategist who has a keen sense of foresight into the future and who also is a realist, like former German Prime Minister Konrad Adenauer or Willy Brandt,” he said.

Even though there would likely be ideological differences between the ruling and opposition parties in dealing with North Korean affairs, said Chin Hee-gwan, a unification studies professor at Inje University, a policy for unification cannot be a matter of political squabbling or discord.

“Just like the two Germanys persuaded the public to agree on unification with the goal of unification for the entire European continent, we need a big goal - peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia - and take steps toward that.”

CONFERENCE

'Buddhism and Social Justice'

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is my very great pleasure to announce the following conference, which
all are welcome to attend:


 *An International Conference on Buddhism and Social Justice*
23-25 April 2014, Leiden University

 Pavilion building, Museum Volkenkunde,
Steenstraat 1, Leiden

Moving away from a common perception of Buddhism as intrinsically a
tradition of peace and justice, our project—based at Leiden
University—seeks to explore the various ways in which historically Buddhist
societies have shaped, transmitted, and adapted Buddhist ideas and ideals
about equality, fairness, and freedom. We are further interested in how (if
at all) such societies have instantiated these ideas and ideals.

The intent of the conference “Buddhism and Social Justice” is to gather
scholars to discuss Classical and modern Buddhist notions of justice and
their real world reflexes. We will be most centrally concerned with
Buddhist visions—implicit or explicit—of ideal (just) societies and the
role of human action, as these appear, for instance, in the realms of
freedom and its constraints, social hierarchy and mobility, economic
opportunity, and power and self-determination.

The full text of the initial proposal upon which our project was based, and
other information about our research team, and the conference itself, can
be consulted on this website.

This Call for Papers hasinvited scholars interested in these issues from a
descriptive, rather than prescriptive, point of view to come together and
share their expertise, findings and questions. Papers will deal with many
regions within Asia and any time period.

The interested public is welcome to attend, but we do ask that you register
(free of charge) in order to allow us to plan properly for seats and
catering. Registration emails and questions can be sent to
conference@buddhismandsocialjustice.com

*Please visit our website Buddhismandsocialjustice.com
<http://buddhismandsocialjustice.com/basjconference.html> to view the
conference abstracts and to stay updated on conference developments. *


Conference Programme (tentative program)

*Wednesday 23 April*

9:30-10:30

*Jonathan Silk *- *Buddhism and Social Justice: What are we doing?*

10:30-10:45

Coffee break

10:45-11:15

*Claudio Cicuzza *- *Buddhist notions of justice and modern concepts of
Human Dignity*

11:15-11:45

*Paulus Kaufmann *- *Roles of Justice in Kūkai’s Ethical Theory*

11:45-12:00

Coffee break

12:00-12:45

*Eugin Ciurtin *-* Flat and Curved Universes: On Exceptional Agency and
Ordinary Social Justice in Indian Buddhism*

13:00-14:30

Lunch break

14:30-15:30

*Steve Collins *-* On the 'gentle violence' of a stable social order*

15:30-15:45

Coffee break

15:45-16:15

*Berthe Jansen *- *The Impact of the Monastic Institution on Society and
Social Justice in Pre-modern Tibet*

16:15-16:45

*Johan Elverskog *-* Buddhism as Colonialism: Mining and Social
Exploitation on the Commodity Frontier*



*Thursday 24 April*

9:30-10:30

*Nam-Lin Hur *-* Buddhism and War: Senriji’s Monthly Newsletters and
Shinshū Teachings in Modern Japan, 1929-1944*

10:30-10:45

Coffee break

10:45-11:15

*Vincent Breugem *- *Ghosts Under the Bridge: Famine and Segaki Rituals in
Medieval Japan*

11:15-11:45

*Pu Chengzhong *-* Justice for Different Species: the Ethical Treatment of
Animals in Early Chinese Buddhism*

11:45-12:00

Coffee break

12:00-12:30

*Thomas Kim *- *Temple Slaves and Monks as Landlords: Issues of Doctrinal
Allegiance and Institutional Pragmatism in the Joseon Period*

12:30-14:30

Lunch break + *afternoon visit to Keukenhof*



*Friday 25 April*

9:30-10:00

*Joanna Gruszewska *- *The rhetorics of the caste criticism in Vajrasūcī*

10:00-10:30

*Jonathan Silk *- *What Remains: Anti-caste Rhetoric and Anti-Outcaste
Rhetoric in Indian Buddhism*

10:30-11:00

*Vincent Tournier *-* Cosmogony, Anti-caste Arguments and Royal Epics: the
Aggañña Myth and Its Scriptural Contexts*

11:00-11:15

Coffee break

11:15-11:45

*Iselin Frydenlund *- *Religious minorities in Buddhist majority states*

11:45-12:15

*Jacques Leider *- *Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingyas in Arakan -
Historical grief and ethnic tensions*

12:15-13:30

Lunch break

13:30-14:00

*Chris Lammerts *- *Contested histories of Buddhist law in Burma,
c.1200-1800 C.E.*

14:00-14:30

*Daniel Webster Kent *- *Thinking Karmically About War in Sri Lanka:
Evaluating Actions and Ameliorating Consequences in a Time of Declining
Dharma*

14:30-15:00

Coffee break

15:00-15:30

*Chris Wilkinson *- *Political Revolution and the Commoners’ Cause in the
Transmission of the Cakrasaṃvaratantra*

15:30-16:00

*Ian Harris *- *Kingship, colonialism and republic: Rethinking issues of
social justice in modern Cambodia*

16:00-16:15

Coffee break

16:15-17:30

*Round table discussion*
--
J. Silk
Instituut Kern / Universiteit Leiden
Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, LIAS
Johan Huizinga Building, Room 1.37
Doelensteeg 16
2311 VL Leiden
The Netherlands

copies of my publications may be found at
http://www.buddhismandsocialjustice.com/silk_publications.html