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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

Global Markets Brace for Fed Rate Hike as Oil Tops $91

The Japanese yen stabilized near the critical 160-per-dollar level on Tuesday as currency markets remained cautious amid rising U.S. interest-rate expectations, renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and surging oil prices. USD/JPY...

Bessent Urges Japan on Fiscal Discipline, BOJ Rate Hikes

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged Japanese policymakers to outline a credible path toward fiscal sustainability and higher interest rates as pressure on the yen and government bond markets intensifies,...

Japan Bond Yields Top 3% as Inflation, Fiscal Risks Rise

Japans benchmark government bond yields climbed above 3% on Tuesday for the first time since September 1996, as investors weighed persistent inflation, growing fiscal concerns and expectations for further interest rate...

India Manufacturing Growth Slows to Five-Year Low in August

Indias manufacturing sector expanded at its weakest pace in five years in August as softer demand weighed on new orders, production and employment, according to the latest private-sector survey. The HSBC India...

Australia Current Account Deficit Widens to A$27.2 Billion

Australias current account deficit widened in the second quarter of 2026, but the increase was smaller than economists had forecast as stronger exports partly offset rising import costs. The current account recorded a...

Politics

US Approves $800 Million Helicopter Sale to Iraq

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $800 million military helicopter sale to Iraq, strengthening defense cooperation between Washington and Baghdad as Iraq continues efforts to modernize its armed forces....

China Warns Over Taiwan’s Pacific Islands Forum Presence

China has raised strong objections to Taiwans participation in the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, warning of unspecified consequences as tensions over Beijings influence in the Pacific take center stage at the regional...

U.S., New Zealand Fund $60M Cook Islands Port Upgrade

The United States and New Zealand will jointly fund a major upgrade of a World War Two-era port in the Cook Islands, strengthening Western infrastructure investment in the Pacific as China expands its regional influence....

South Korea Unveils Record $597 Billion 2027 Budget to Boost AI and Chips

South Korea has proposed a record 821 trillion won ($596.92 billion) government budget for 2027, sharply increasing fiscal spending as the country seeks to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence, semiconductors...

Ukraine Sanctions Chief Heads to Washington to Push Russia Bill

Ukraines top sanctions official will visit Washington this week to press U.S. lawmakers to approve sweeping new Russia sanctions legislation that has already cleared the Senate but faces resistance in the House of...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

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

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

OpenAI Rejects Apple Trade Secret Theft Claims

OpenAI has denied Apples allegations that it obtained confidential trade secrets through former Apple employees, arguing that the iPhone maker has failed to provide evidence showing proprietary information was stolen. In a...

MediaTek Shares Jump 10% on Nvidia’s $3.5 Billion Investment

MediaTek shares surged nearly 10% on Tuesday after Nvidia announced a $3.5 billion investment in the Taiwanese semiconductor designer, strengthening a strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence...

Apple’s Phil Schiller Steps Back as Leadership Shake-Up Accelerates

Apple veteran Phil Schiller has stepped away from overseeing the App Store and the companys high-profile product launch events, marking another major leadership change as the iPhone maker prepares for a new era under...

SpaceX Mobile Network Could Cost Up to $130 Billion, Bernstein Says

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) could spend between $50 billion and $130 billion, including spectrum costs, to develop a standalone terrestrial network supporting its direct-to-device mobile service, according to Bernstein analysts....

Faraday Future Delivers First Robots in Middle East, Plans September Launches

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) has completed its first robotics sale and delivery in the Middle East, marking an early milestone in the electric vehicle and AI technology companys regional...