Each year, the American Academy of Religion (AAR) holds its Annual Meeting. From November 23-26, 2024, thousands of scholars will once again gather for this conference in San Diego for the largest and most prestigious meeting of scholars of religion held globally.

Arihanta Institute’s faculty are actively engaged in the AAR’s Annual Meeting and will be both presenting and presiding over a number of activities. 

Along with distinguished scholar of Modern Yoga Studies Anya Foxen (Cal Poly SLO), Arihanta Institute’s own Professor Christopher Jain Miller is the co-chair of the AAR’s Yoga in Theory and Practice Unit. Professor Foxen and Professor Miller collaborate to oversee the organization of the Unit’s annual programming, including panels, roundtables, and other events.

Miller, along with his Arihanta Institute colleague Professor Cogen Bohanec, are also on DANAM’s steering committee, which holds its own annual conference at the AAR. Dr. Bohanec will be presenting his talk “Jain Siddhis and Śrīmad Rājcandra” on a  DANAM panel titled “Demystifying Siddhis.”

Professor Christopher Jain Miller will participate on a panel titled “New Books in Modern Yoga Studies.” Here, Miller’s new book Embodying Transnational Yoga, along with three other groundbreaking monographs in the field of Modern Yoga Studies, will be publicly reviewed by scholars in the field. Along with his colleagues, Miller will respond to reviewers’ comments and engage in dialogue with thought leaders in the field.

Arihanta Institute’s Professor Jonathan Dickstein will also give a presentation regarding a Jainism-inspired case for ‘freeganism’ under consumer capitalism on a panel titled “Religion and Veganism: Critical Perspectives.” Co-sponsored by the AAR’s Animals and Religion Unit and Religion and Food Unit, this panel offers critical perspectives on animal ethics, food politics, and social justice within the context of religious belief, practice, and community. Professor Dickstein provides a much-needed contribution from the Jain perspective to round out this panel’s offering.

Come meet Arihanta Institute at the AAR!

Please be sure to come say hello to Arihanta Institute’s faculty at the AAR’s 2024 events!