Confucianism and Buddhism are still a part of the daily lives of contemporary East Asians. It would not be surprising to see the two engage in a constructive dialogue germane to contemporary society. However, current scholarship is focused mainly on each tradition separately and contains almost no in-depth dialogue between them. This seems to be the case in both Korean and American academia. The main purpose of this conference is to start a conversation between the traditions, with the hope that this will inspire people to get involved in more constructive dialogue that will also help us reflect on the influence of both on people’s lives in our time. The conference will be a venue to engage in dialogue between Buddhism and Confucianism in three dimensions:
Historical approach: The conference welcomes presentations on any historical approach to intellectual or sociopolitical intersections between Confucianism and Buddhism in any East Asian historical period. For example, the confrontational consciousness of Neo-Confucians against Buddhism was an important incident that revealed the exchange between the two intellectual camps. Papers exploring any comparable intersections in modern or premodern Korea are especially welcome.
Comparative conceptual approach: The intellectual intersection between Confucianism and Buddhism can also be found in conceptual and philosophical comparisons. An example is the sophisticated moral psychology that Confucian and Buddhist thinkers developed in their pursuit of ultimate values and practice to attain and embody those values. Comparative approaches to this topic would enrich our understanding of each tradition and of the cross-fertilization that occurred in the evolution of these traditions.
Major research topics of each tradition: Despite the fact that Buddhism and Confucianism are both major thought traditions in East Asia, scholars of each have been confined to their own tradition and have rarely taken opportunities to understand the contemporary research topics and scholarly concerns of the other tradition. This conference will be a venue in which scholars of both gather to share major current research topics in their fields, and deepen their mutual understanding, and explore possible connections between the two traditions.
Doil Kim
Associate Professor, Department of Confucian Studies, Eastern Philosophy, and Korean Philosophy
Director, Institute of Confucian Philosophy and Culture,
Sungkyunkwan University
Seoul, South Korea
https://swb.skku.edu/ccecc-en/intro/people01.do
Jin Y. Park
Professor and Department Chair of Philosophy and Religion,
American University
Washington DC, 20016
President-Elect, American Academy of Religion
https://www.american.edu/cas/faculty/jypark.cfm
Historical approach: The conference welcomes presentations on any historical approach to intellectual or sociopolitical intersections between Confucianism and Buddhism in any East Asian historical period. For example, the confrontational consciousness of Neo-Confucians against Buddhism was an important incident that revealed the exchange between the two intellectual camps. Papers exploring any comparable intersections in modern or premodern Korea are especially welcome.
Comparative conceptual approach: The intellectual intersection between Confucianism and Buddhism can also be found in conceptual and philosophical comparisons. An example is the sophisticated moral psychology that Confucian and Buddhist thinkers developed in their pursuit of ultimate values and practice to attain and embody those values. Comparative approaches to this topic would enrich our understanding of each tradition and of the cross-fertilization that occurred in the evolution of these traditions.
Major research topics of each tradition: Despite the fact that Buddhism and Confucianism are both major thought traditions in East Asia, scholars of each have been confined to their own tradition and have rarely taken opportunities to understand the contemporary research topics and scholarly concerns of the other tradition. This conference will be a venue in which scholars of both gather to share major current research topics in their fields, and deepen their mutual understanding, and explore possible connections between the two traditions.
Doil Kim
Associate Professor, Department of Confucian Studies, Eastern Philosophy, and Korean Philosophy
Director, Institute of Confucian Philosophy and Culture,
Sungkyunkwan University
Seoul, South Korea
https://swb.skku.edu/ccecc-en/intro/people01.do
Jin Y. Park
Professor and Department Chair of Philosophy and Religion,
American University
Washington DC, 20016
President-Elect, American Academy of Religion
https://www.american.edu/cas/faculty/jypark.cfm
