Apologies for cross-posting.

Dear Colleagues,

The Jain Studies Unit welcomes submissions for the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion. We especially welcome suggestions for panels to be co-sponsored with other units and for panels that address the 2026 Annual Meeting’s Presidential Theme: “Future(s).” Finally, the Jain Studies Unit encourages proposals to include voices that are diverse in terms of race, caste, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, age, socioeconomic status, geographic region, professional rank, and institutional affiliation. Questions can be addressed to one (or both) of the Jain Studies Unit co-chairs, Gregory Clines (gclines@trinity.edu) and/or Ana Bajzelj (abajzelj@ucr.edu).

Please note that the Jain Studies Unit only accepts proposals for complete panels, roundtables, book discussions, etc., and does not accept individual paper proposals.

The following are proposed panel titles with contact information as of January 26th, 2026. If interested in participating, please contact the listed person(s) directly. Additional panel proposals are welcomed. The Jain Studies unit exclusively uses the AAR PAPERS system for all submissions.

November In-Person Meeting:

·       Jains and Politics (Samyak Modi, samyak.modi@ucr.edu)

·       Jain Pilgrimage (Bhumi Shah, bhumi.shah@email.ucr.edu)

·       Ethical and Moral Cultivation in Jain Thought (Alba Rodriguez, alba.rodriguezjuan@email.ucr.edu)

·       Jain Goddesses (Anchit Jain, jnanchit@gmail.com)

·       Jains and Caste (David Silverberg, d.silverberg@columbia.edu)

·       Intertextuality, Interculturality, and Jainism (Christine Chojnacki, christine.chojnacki@utotonto.ca)

Statement of Purpose

This Unit began in 2009 in recognition of the burgeoning state of the field and its relative neglect in the AAR. Originating in India in the first millennium BCE, Jainism — historically as dominant a South Asian religious tradition as Buddhism and Hinduism and, in the light of current demographics, a disproportionately powerful presence in the cultural and economic life of India — is a world religion now extending far beyond South Asia to East Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Australia. Given the increasing focus of scholarly attention on Jainism both in India and around the globe, this Unit provides a venue in North America for scholars of Jainism to meet regularly and exchange ideas.

AAR Jain Studies Travel Grants

As in the past two years, we will again be offering the Jain Studies Travel Grants this year, funded through the generosity of the Manish and Varsha Mehta Family Foundation. These awards are intended for scholars who are scheduled to present a Jain Studies paper at the AAR Annual Meeting in November. We will circulate an announcement after the call for papers closes.

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