Eric Haruki Swanson
Assistant Professor of Theological Studies
- Los Angeles CA UNITED STATES
- University Hall 3700
- Theological Studies
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Biography
Professor Eric Haruki Swanson received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington, his M.A. from Koyasan University in Japan, and Ph.D. from Harvard University. As a cultural historian he is interested in the study of religious traditions through the examination of literature, visual material, ritual practices, and performance arts, and considers the role of religious institutions and its actors within broader cultural patterns, political agendas, and expressions of identity. His research focuses on the interactions between Buddhist institutions and the ruling class during times of political crisis and social unrest in pre-modern Japan. His current book project is a study of scholar-monk Jien (1155-1225) and his establishment of exoteric-esoteric Buddhist ritual programs for the pacification of vengeful spirits and the restoration of order in the medieval capital of Japan.
Education
Harvard University
Ph.D.
East Asian Languages and Civilizations
2019
Koyasan University
M.A.
Esoteric Buddhism
2009
Indiana University Bloomington
B.A.
Religious Studies
2004
Areas of Expertise
East Asian Buddhism
Religions of Japan
Japanese Literature
Courses
Buddhism: The Buddhist Tradition Across Time and Place
THST3282
Animated Spirituality: Japanese Religion in Anime, Manga, and Film
FFYS1000