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Alessandro Poletto

Lecturer in East Asian Religions, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
Alessandro Poletto (he/they) specializes in the social and religious history of premodern Japan, with an emphasis on Buddhism in the early medieval period (tenth to the thirteenth century). He earned his PhD from Columbia University in 2020 with a dissertation entitled “The Culture of Healing in Early Medieval Japan: A Study in Premodern Epistemology,” in which he examined discourses and practices concerning healing and disease, with particular attention to the relationship between Buddhist healers and other technicians involved in the treatment of illness, namely court physicians and onmyōji. His other research and teaching interests include the understanding and ritual resolution of natural disasters in premodern East Asia, the history of the cultural exchanges between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, and Buddhist material culture and archeology in East Asia.

His current research focuses on the material and textual dimensions of various types of deposits — within statues or under the ground — in order to get a grasp of Buddhism as practiced by lay Buddhists in early medieval Japan. Dedicatory or votive materials discovered inside Buddhist statues or in underground deposits (commonly known as kyōzuka) illustrate the motivations behind the undertaking of a certain burial of sutras, or the production of a copy of a specific sutra, allowing us to see the hopes, aspirations and anxieties of the people engaging in such practices, but also the ways in which they attempted to shape their destinies, and those of deceased dear ones, through their dedicatory good acts.

Before joining Washington University, Alessandro was a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at Kyoto University. He holds a B.A. from the University of Naples “L’Orientale,” and an M.A. from Osaka University.

Economy

Trump Rejects Iran Proposal as War Tensions Push Oil Prices Higher

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Irans latest proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing two-month conflict, according to a U.S. official. The development has reduced hopes for a near-term...

U.S. and EU Strengthen Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce China Dependence

The United States and the European Union have taken a major step toward strengthening their supply chains for critical minerals, aiming to reduce reliance on China and boost advanced manufacturing capabilities. On Friday,...

Global PCB Prices Surge Amid Middle East Conflict and Supply Chain Disruptions

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through the global electronics industry, driving up prices of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and disrupting the supply of critical raw materials. PCBs are...

Asian Currencies Rise Ahead of BOJ and Fed Meetings as Dollar Softens

Asian currencies strengthened on Monday while the U.S. dollar edged lower, as investors shifted focus to upcoming policy meetings by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and the Federal Reserve. Market sentiment remained cautious due...

BOJ Rate Decision in Focus as Yen, Inflation, and Nikkei Hang in Balance

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its April 28 policy meeting, maintaining the benchmark short-term rate at 0.75%. This would mark the third consecutive pause following a 25...

Politics

Trump Administration Dismisses Entire National Science Board, Sparking Debate Over Scientific Independence

The Trump administration has removed all members of the National Science Board, a major advisory group that oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF), according to statements from two former board members. The...

Republican Lawmakers Urge National Guard Role for World Cup Drone Security

Two Republican members of Congress are urging the Trump administration to strengthen security measures for the upcoming FIFA World Cup by deploying the National Guard to address potential drone threats. Representatives...

King Charles and Queen Camilla Visit the U.S. Amid Political Tensions and Historic Milestone

King Charles III and Queen Camilla have begun a high-profile four-day visit to the United States, marking a significant moment in modern UK-US relations. The royal trip coincides with the 250th anniversary of the U.S....

Man Charged in Alleged Trump Assassination Attempt at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

A 31-year-old California man has been formally charged with attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump following a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington. The...

US and Iran Clash at UN Over Nuclear Program and NPT Conference Role

Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified at the United Nations as both countries exchanged sharp criticism over Tehrans nuclear program and its appointment as a vice president at a key nuclear conference....

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

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NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Advantest Stock Falls on Weak Outlook Despite Strong AI-Driven Results

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DeepSeek Slashes AI Model Pricing to Boost Adoption and Challenge Global Rivals

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Taiwan Court Fines Tokyo Electron Unit $4.78M in Major TSMC Trade Secrets Case

A Taiwan court has imposed a significant penalty on the local subsidiary of Japan-based Tokyo Electron, highlighting the islands strict stance on protecting critical semiconductor technologies. The court fined the company...

DeepSeek V4 Launch Signals China’s Growing AI Independence with Huawei Chips

DeepSeek, a fast-rising Chinese AI startup, has unveiled a preview of its highly anticipated V4 model, marking a major step toward Chinas technological independence. The new model, optimized for Huaweis Ascend chips,...

U.S. Warns Allies Over Alleged Chinese AI IP Theft Linked to DeepSeek

The U.S. State Department has launched a global diplomatic effort to highlight concerns over alleged intellectual property theft by Chinese artificial intelligence companies, including startup DeepSeek. According to a...