Event: Animism Today on 10/21-22

Next Monday and Tuesday (October 21 and 22) four prominent scholars from Japan will come to UCSB to address the topic of “Animism Today” in popular culture, traditional culture, and contemporary arts, also in conversation with members of the UCSB community. The term “animism” is used in Japan with positive connotations as a way to describe widespread forms of Japanese religiosity and, to an extent, Japanese cultural identity.
For full information, please see the event page on the Religious Studies website.
At Rob Gym Room 1005 (in the low building to the left before the entrance to Rob Gym).
Monday afternoon features four papers addressing various aspects of animism by Hirafuji Kikuko, MInato Chihiro, Koizumi Bon, and Matsumura Kazuo. See the program below for more information.
On Tuesday, there will be eight brief presentations by UCSB colleagues:
9:30–12:00 Roundtable Rethinking “Animism” and Related Phenomena (“paganism,” polytheism, idolatry, materiality of religion, secularization, etc.)
We will have presentations from Claudia Moser (History of Art and Architecture), Amit Shilo (Classics), Ranjani Atur (Ph.D., Religious Studies UCSB; Classics, University of Minnesota); and Rudy Busto, Thomas Carlson, Will Ellison, Fabio Rambelli, and Christine Thomas (all from Religious Studies)
Organized by Kikuko Hirafuji (Kokugakuin University), Fabio Rambelli, and Christine Thomas (UCSB).
Sponsors:
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology Open Laboratory for Emergence Strategies (ROLES), The University of Tokyo
Kokugakuin University (Tokyo)
UCSB Virgil Cordano OFM Chair in Catholic Studies
UCSB International Shinto Foundation Chair in Shinto Studies
UCSB Department of Religious Studies
Professor Harada Kaori and Maestro Katayama Kuroemon

Noh Theater Events with Professor Harada Kaori and Maestro Katayama Kurōemon X, Feb 26-28

We are pleased to announce an upcoming series of events on Noh theater, Buddhism, and contemporary Japanese culture on February 26 to 28.
Here is the program:
Noh dance masterclass by Maestro Katayama Kurōemon X
Monday, February 26, 1:00 to 2:40 pm, Studio Theater (Black Box, next to Hatlen Theater)
Noh performance (Ama, “The Diver”) by Maestro Katayama Kurōemon X
Tuesday, February 27, 6:30 pm, Studio Theater (Black Box, next to Hatlen Theater)
Lecture on Noh Theater and Buddhism by professor Harada Kaori (Tōyō University, Tokyo)
Monday, February 26, SSMS Building 2135 at 5:00 pm
Lecture on Noh theater and contemporary Japanese culture by professor Harada Kaori (Tōyō University, Tokyo)
Wednesday, February 28, SSMS Building 2135 at 5:00 pm
Workshop on reading and translating original Noh texts (the drama Ama, “The diver”) by professor Harada Kaori (Tōyō University, Tokyo)
Tuesday, February 27, 2:00 to 4:00 pm, Rob Gym 1001A and
Wednesday, February 28, 2:00 to 4:00 pm, Rob Gym 1001A
Public conversation on the relations between Noh and Gagaku, with professor Harada Kaori (Tōyō University, Tokyo) and Fabio Rambelli (UCSB)
Wednesday, February 28, 10:00 to 11:30 am, Rob Gym 1001A
All events are free and open to the public, and everyone is welcome.