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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

Germany and China Reaffirm Open Trade and Strategic Partnership in Landmark Beijing Visit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded a pivotal visit to Beijing this week, signaling Germanys continued commitment to open markets and strong economic ties with China. As the first foreign leader to visit China in...

U.S. Stocks Close Lower as Hot PPI Data, Nvidia Slide Weigh on Wall Street

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday, capping the worst monthly performance for Wall Street since March last year, as hotter-than-expected producer inflation data and continued weakness in technology stocks pressured investor...

Gold Prices Rally in February as Geopolitical Risks and Economic Uncertainty Boost Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices surged on Friday, positioning the precious metal for strong February gains as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Spot gold climbed 1.5% to $5,261.81...

Dominican Republic Unveils Massive Rare Earth Deposits to Boost High-Tech and Energy Sectors

The Dominican Republic has announced the discovery of significant rare earth deposits that could position the Caribbean nation as a key future supplier of critical minerals for high-tech industries. President Luis Abinader...

Asian Markets Slide as Nvidia Earnings, U.S.-Iran Tensions and AI Valuations Weigh on Investor Sentiment

Asian stock markets declined on Friday as investors pulled back from risk assets, pressured by concerns over elevated technology valuations and persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite strong quarterly...

Politics

HHS Adds New Members to Vaccine Advisory Panel Amid Legal and Market Uncertainty

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed two new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the influential federal panel that shapes the U.S. vaccine...

Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions Escalate as Taliban Offer Talks After Airstrikes

Afghanistans Taliban government said it is ready to negotiate with Pakistan after a sharp escalation in cross-border violence that both sides have described as an open war. The crisis intensified when Pakistan launched...

Australian PM Calls Alleged Western Australia Terror Plot “Deeply Shocking” After Arrest

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the arrest of a Western Australian man over an alleged terror plot as deeply shocking, following police claims that the suspect was planning attacks targeting...

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba as Rubio Reportedly Engages in Talks

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Argentina Senate Approves Bill to Lower Age of Criminal Responsibility to 14

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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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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

Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Halt Use of Anthropic AI Technology

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Federal Judge Blocks Virginia Social Media Age Verification Law Over First Amendment Concerns

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Nintendo Share Sale: MUFG and Bank of Kyoto to Sell Stakes in Strategic Unwinding

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Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute

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