PANA Institute for Leadership Development

2008 celebrates the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative. Our annual conference this year is an opportunity to look back over the achievements in Asian Pacific American religious studies during the past decade and to look forward to the new opportunities and challenges of the next ten years.

Since 1999, APARRI gatherings have been opportunities for scholars and community leaders involved in work on issues of Asian American and Pacific Islander religion to share research, exchange ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed, supportive conference setting. Emphasis is placed on the development of APA religious studies as a field, the encouragement of emerging scholarship, and the mentoring of younger scholars and leaders.

APARRI 2008 is organized by the PANA Institute (Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion) at Pacific School of Religion, with major funding from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. The conference is hosted by Pacific School of Religion and co-sponsored by the Graduate Theological Union, the Asian American Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California, Berkeley.

2008 CONFERENCE THEME

APARRI 2008 examines the role of APA religious studies in the broadening and redefinition of religious studies in the United States. For ten years, APARRI has served as a focal point and forum for different disciplinary approaches to the study of APA religions, and the 2008 conference is an opportunity for the community to assess the progress that has been made and to envision together new directions that the field may take.

Fumitaka Matsuoka, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian North American Religion (PANA Institute) will give the keynote address at Plenary I on Thursday evening Aug/7. The title of his presentation is "Crossing Boundaries: A Dim Sum Approach to the Question of Peoplehood."

Plenary II on Friday afternoon Aug/8 will address the state of the field of APA religious studies from various disciplinary angles. And Plenary III on Saturday afternoon Aug/9, offered jointly with the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry at Pacific School of Religion, will address the voices and visibility of queer communities in APA religious studies. Concurrent sessions will showcase research-in-progress, and structured mentoring will be available for students and junior faculty members.