Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Tue, Jun 23, 2026 02:35 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Megan Bryson

Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Tennessee
Megan Bryson is a scholar of East Asian religions who aims to find stories that otherwise fall through the cracks. Much of her research focuses on intersections of ethnicity and gender in East Asian religion, especially in the region of southwest China that was once home to the Nanzhao (649-903) and Dali (937-1253) kingdoms. Scholars tend to ignore this region because it defies regional categorization as Chinese, Tibetan, Indian, or Southeast Asian, but it is precisely this wealth of possibility that drives Bryson's work. Bryson is also interested in how deities' transformations reflect and inform changes in human societies. Her first book, Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China (Stanford University Press, 2017), explored the shifting identities of the regional goddess Baijie in relation to sociocultural and political change. Her current projects include the co-edited volume (with Kevin Buckelew), Buddhist Masculinities (Columbia University Press, 2023), and the book, Buddhism on the Southern Silk Road.

In the classroom, Bryson teaches a wide variety of courses on Asian religions, as well as courses on Method and Theory in Religious Studies, Mindfulness, and Religion and Nonprofit Leadership.

Who is the ‘Laughing Buddha’? A scholar of East Asian Buddhism explains

Aug 20, 2024 05:25 am UTC| Insights & Views

With his delighted expression, round belly, bald head and monastic robes, the Laughing Buddha is instantly identifiable. However, astute observers might wonder why this buddha does not look like the historical Buddha, who...

Economy

Yen Near 40-Year Low as USD/JPY Approaches Key 162 Level, Raising Intervention Concerns

The Japanese yen hovered near its weakest level in almost four decades on Tuesday, fueling speculation that Japanese authorities may once again intervene in the foreign exchange market to support the struggling currency....

Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears

Asian stock markets mostly declined on Tuesday, while oil prices recovered some losses as investors weighed easing geopolitical tensions alongside growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve could adopt a more...

Japan Manufacturing Growth Accelerates in June as Orders Surge Despite Iran War Cost Pressures

Japans manufacturing sector maintained strong momentum in June, supported by the fastest rise in new orders in more than four years, even as businesses continued to face mounting cost pressures linked to the ongoing Iran...

U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Helps Drive Gasoline Prices Down 15% From May Highs

American drivers are seeing welcome relief at the gas pump as gasoline prices continue to decline following improved diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran. According to fuel price tracker GasBuddy, the...

Wall Street Ends Mixed as Alphabet Slumps, Middle East Developments and Fed Outlook Weigh on Markets

U.S. stocks closed mixed on Monday as a sharp decline in Alphabet shares pressured the communication services sector, while investors closely monitored evolving developments in the Middle East and assessed the Federal...

Politics

Trump Threatens ABC News Lawsuit Over Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Coverage

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday evening that he is preparing legal action against ABC News, accusing the network of publishing false and misleading reports regarding his administrations handling of the Lincoln...

California Court Dismisses Trump Administration Lawsuit Against Los Angeles Sanctuary Policy

A California federal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against the City of Los Angeles over its sanctuary city ordinance, marking another legal setback in the ongoing debate over immigration...

Russian Air Strikes Injure Six Across Ukraine as Kyiv Issues Air Raid Alert

At least six people were injured in a new wave of Russian air strikes across Ukraine overnight, according to local officials, as authorities in Kyiv issued an air raid alert early Tuesday and urged residents to seek...

Alan Greenspan: 7 Fascinating Facts About the Former Fed Chairman

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who died Monday at the age of 100, left behind a remarkable legacy that extended far beyond economics and monetary policy. Known as one of the most influential figures in...

UNAIDS Urges U.S. to Reconsider South Africa HIV Funding Withdrawal

The head of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to withdraw HIV/AIDS funding for South Africa, warning that the move could put millions of vulnerable people at risk and...

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

Meta Pauses Employee Activity Tracking Program Over Data Security Concerns

Meta has temporarily suspended an internal employee monitoring program used to train its artificial intelligence models after concerns emerged about potential data security and privacy risks. The program, known as the...

Oracle Cuts 21,000 Jobs as AI Reshapes Workforce and Cloud Expansion Accelerates

Oracle reduced its global workforce by approximately 21,000 employees, or 13%, during fiscal 2026 as the company continued a major restructuring effort while expanding its artificial intelligence and cloud computing...

Alphabet Stock Slides as AI Talent Exodus and SpaceX Losses Shake Investor Confidence

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) shares plunged nearly 7% on Monday, marking one of the companys sharpest single-day declines in recent years as investors reacted to a combination of high-profile AI talent departures and weakness...

SpaceX Stock Plunges 16% as KeyBanc Warns Valuation May Be Overstretched

SpaceX shares tumbled more than 16% on Monday after investment firm KeyBanc initiated coverage with a cautious outlook, suggesting the aerospace giants valuation has become stretched following its strong post-IPO rally....

Trump’s Quantum Push Lifts IBM Stock as CEO Arvind Krishna Receives White House Praise

IBM shares surged in after-hours trading Monday after President Donald Trump publicly praised IBM CEO Arvind Krishna during a White House event focused on advancing U.S. quantum technology leadership. The endorsement...