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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

European Stocks Slip as U.S. Tariff Uncertainty Grows; Novo Nordisk Shares Tumble

European stock markets traded mixed on Monday as renewed uncertainty over U.S. trade tariffs dampened investor sentiment, while Novo Nordisk shares plunged following disappointing obesity drug trial results. Germanys DAX...

Central and Southeast Europe Economic Outlook: Hungary, Croatia and Serbia Data in Focus

Investors are closely watching key economic events in Central and Southeast Europe this week, with major updates expected from Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. According to Erste, the Hungarian central bank is set to hold its...

Dollar Slides After Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs, Boosting Global Growth Outlook

The U.S. dollar weakened on Monday after the Supreme Court struck down a broad range of former President Donald Trumps tariffs, a move investors interpreted as supportive for global economic growth. Currency markets...

Asian Currencies Rise as US Dollar Weakens Amid Trump Tariff Uncertainty and Fed Outlook

Asian currencies moved higher on Monday while the US dollar retreated, as investors reacted to fresh developments surrounding President Donald Trumps tariff policies and ongoing uncertainty over Federal Reserve interest...

Trump Raises Tariffs to 15% Under Section 122 After Supreme Court Ruling

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to raise a temporary tariff on imports from all countries to 15%, up from 10%, following a Supreme Court decision that struck down a significant portion of his earlier trade...

Politics

South Korea Urges Russian Embassy to Remove ‘Victory Will Be Ours’ Banner Ahead of Ukraine War Anniversary

South Korea has formally requested that the Russian embassy in Seoul remove a large banner reading Victory will be ours, just days before the fourth anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine. The South Korean foreign...

China Reviews U.S. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling as Trump Signals New Import Duties

Chinas commerce ministry announced that it is conducting a full assessment of the recent U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling while urging Washington to remove what it described as relevant unilateral tariff measures imposed...

Russia Launches Massive Drone and Missile Attack on Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure

Russia launched a large-scale overnight assault on Ukraine using dozens of strike drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles, intensifying its campaign against the countrys energy infrastructure. According to the...

EU Demands U.S. Honor Trade Deal After Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs

The European Commission has urged the United States to uphold the terms of last years EU-U.S. trade deal after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down former President Donald Trumps global tariffs. The ruling prompted Trump to...

India and Brazil Strengthen Trade Partnership with New Mining and Steel Cooperation Pact

India and Brazil have taken a major step toward strengthening bilateral trade relations by signing a new agreement focused on mining, minerals, and steel sector cooperation. The pact, signed in New Delhi in the presence of...

Science

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

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SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

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NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

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Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

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Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Samsung Stock Hits Record High on Nvidia HBM4 Supply Deal, Boosting AI Chip Rally

Samsung Electronics shares surged to a record high on Monday after reports indicated the company could become the exclusive memory chip supplier for Nvidias next-generation AI processors. The rally highlights growing...

Microsoft Gaming Leadership Shake-Up: Phil Spencer Retires, Asha Sharma Named New Xbox CEO

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Nvidia Earnings Preview: AI Growth Outlook Remains Strong Beyond 2026

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is heading into its upcoming earnings report with Wall Street expecting another quarter of solid performance, driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. While...

Microsoft Gaming Leadership Overhaul: Phil Spencer Retires, Asha Sharma Named New Xbox CEO

Microsoft has announced a major leadership transition in its gaming division, as longtime executive Phil Spencer retires after 38 years with the company. The move marks a significant shift for Microsoft Gaming at a time...

OpenAI Targets $600B Compute Spend as IPO Valuation Could Reach $1 Trillion

OpenAI is reportedly planning a massive expansion of its artificial intelligence infrastructure, targeting approximately $600 billion in total compute spending through 2030. According to a source cited by Reuters, the...