The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies will launch the following two books in the Liu Institute Series in Chinese Christianities published by Notre Dame Press. Join us  for a discussion with Justin Tse, Singapore Management University, author of "Sheets of Scattered Sand: Cantonese Protestants and the Secular Dream of the Pacific Rim," (November 2024) and Jin Lu, Purdue University Northwest, author of "Translingual Catholics: Chinese Theologians before Vatican II," (February 2025). Liu Institute faculty fellow Xueying Wang, assistant professor of theology, will moderate the event. Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in mainland China and a large, linguistically and culturally diverse Chinese diaspora, which encompasses more than a fifth of the world’s population. Still, the academic world has been slow to take into account the role of Chinese Christians and their distinctly Chinese interpretation of Christianity in examining world Christianity. The Liu Institute Series in Chinese  Christianities features titles that offer new perspectives on the vast and expanding field of Chinese Christianities in all their diverse forms, providing a forum for cross-disciplinary conversation. The event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, Notre Dame Press, Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, and the Department of Theology. Originally published at asia.nd.edu.

Sponsored by the History of Philosophy Forum In this first roundtable in the series "Dialogues between Eastern Philosophy and Western Traditions," participants will discuss the topic of "The Good Life with Responsibility and Freedom." Speakers:Michael Puett, the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Anthropology, Harvard UniversityMeghan Sullivan, the Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy; director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, University of Notre DameThe speakers in the first roundtable, Michael Puett and Meghan Sullivan, are leading scholars of Eastern and Western ethical traditions, respectively. Both professors have crafted phenomenally successful undergraduate courses. Prof. Puett's "Classical Chinese Ethical and Political Theory" is Harvard's third most popular undergraduate course, inviting students to reevaluate contemporary assumptions about ethics in light of classical Chinese thought. Prof. Sullivan's "God and the Good Life" at Notre Dame introduces philosophy to students as a "way of life," drawing upon such figures as Plato, Aristotle , and Descartes to present different ways of engaging with questions of ultimate meaning. Organizer: Liang Cai, associate professor of history, University of Notre Dame Series Description: This series of roundtables is designed to foster meaningful exchanges between Eastern and Western philosophers on the themes of responsibility, rights, and virtue. These dialogues aim to inspire thoughtful solutions to contemporary social and international challenges. In the early 20th century, Chinese intellectuals and politicians, confronted with Western imperialism and colonialism, critiqued their own traditions, particularly Confucianism, for a perceived lack of emphasis on freedom and rights. They argued that the focus on responsibility and virtue stifled humanity, individual freedom, and creativity, leading to slower economic and technological development. In 1992, the American political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the rise of Western liberal democracy signified the "end of history" and the final form of human government. However, in the 21st century, we have seen that societies prioritizing freedom and individual rights can become polarized and divided, both internally and internationally. Echoing the 2024–25 Notre Dame Forum Theme, "What Do We Owe Each Other," this roundtable series aims to create a platform for Eastern and Western philosophers to discuss different philosophical traditions’ perspectives on responsibility, rights, and virtue. Through these dialogues, we hope to bridge social divides and foster healing amidst suffering, division, and injustice.Cosponsored by the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Originally published at historyofphilosophy.nd.edu.

In this first roundtable in the series "Dialogues between Eastern Philosophy and Western Traditions," participants will discuss the topic of "The Good Life with Responsibility and Freedom." This event is sponsored by the History of Philosophy Forum and co-sponsored by the  Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Speakers:Michael Puett, the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Anthropology, Harvard UniversityMeghan Sullivan, the Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy; Director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, University of Notre DameThe speakers in the first roundtable, Michael Puett and Meghan Sullivan, are leading scholars of Eastern and Western ethical traditions, respectively. Both professors have crafted phenomenally successful undergraduate courses. Prof. Puett's "Classical Chinese Ethical and Political Theory" is Harvard's third most popular undergraduate course, inviting students to reevaluate contemporary assumptions about ethics in light of classical Chinese thought. Prof. Sullivan's "God and the Good Life" at Notre Dame introduces philosophy to students as a "way of life," drawing upon such figures as Plato, Aristotle , and Descartes to present different ways of engaging with questions of ultimate meaning. Organizer: Liang Cai, Associate Professor of History, University of Notre Dame Series Description: This series of roundtables is designed to foster meaningful exchanges between Eastern and Western philosophers on the themes of responsibility, rights, and virtue. These dialogues aim to inspire thoughtful solutions to contemporary social and international challenges. In the early 20th century, Chinese intellectuals and politicians, confronted with Western imperialism and colonialism, critiqued their own traditions, particularly Confucianism, for a perceived lack of emphasis on freedom and rights. They argued that the focus on responsibility and virtue stifled humanity, individual freedom, and creativity, leading to slower economic and technological development. In 1992, the American political scientist Francis Fukuyama argued that the rise of Western liberal democracy signified the "end of history" and the final form of human government. However, in the 21st century, we have seen that societies prioritizing freedom and individual rights can become polarized and divided, both internally and internationally. Echoing the 2024-25 Notre Dame Forum Theme, "What Do We Owe Each Other," this roundtable series aims to create a platform for Eastern and Western philosophers to discuss different philosophical traditions’ perspectives on responsibility, rights, and virtue. Through these dialogues, we hope to bridge social divides and foster healing amidst suffering, division, and injustice.Originally published at historyofphilosophy.nd.edu.

Victims sometimes forgive the perpetrators of past wrongdoings, either to repair a relationship or simply to move on. After forgiving, however, victims typically still remember what happened. Yet, the memory of the wrongdoing does not elicit the same affective and reactive attitudes it once did. How does forgiveness interact with memory to bring about this emotional change? In this talk, Felipe De Brigard, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience and associate of the Duke Initiative for Science Society at Duke University, will offer conceptual and empirical reasons to think of forgiveness as mollifying the affective contents of retrieved memories of past wrongdoings via a process of emotional reappraisal. He will also show how this research, which is being conducted with victims of political violence in Colombia, can have implications for peace and reconciliation strategies in post-conflict societies. Laura Miller-Graff, professor of psychology and peace studies, will moderate this discussion. Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.