Events

Is charity altruistic or egoistically motivated? Are there ethical and unethical forms of religious giving? Is there anything specifically ‘Asian’ about particular conceptions of ethical giving? What are our alternatives to thinking through such issues beyond simple dichotomies?

Religious groups and individuals have been providing goods and services for the poor and needy throughout history and across the globe. Though most religious doctrines teach caring for the underprivileged, the actual practices and perceptions of what is considered ‘proper’ kinds of giving, and the precautions prospective recipients have to take against possible harm, vary considerably across time and traditions. This international and interdisciplinary conference is designed to explore the ethics of religious giving in Asian contexts, historically and ethnographically. With the term ‘ethics’ we refer here to both an accepted system of codes of conduct and the Durkheimian sense of “means to achieve social cohesion.” The term ‘religious giving’ is used to indicate broadly any kind of gifts/services that are delivered by religious individuals, communities or institutions in order to serve the material and emotional needs of people who are not close kin. The wider goal of the conference is to explore diverse configurations of conceptions of reciprocity, as well as, the relationship between ideas (ethics) and action (giving). This conference will bring together scholars from across the region and the world to engage in discussions of these issues, drawing on material from detailed case studies. These explorations of what people actually do and think on the ground are intended to contribute both empirically and theoretically to the understanding of religion and development in Asian societies.

REGISTRATION

Admission is free. Kindly register early as seats are available on a first come, first served basis. We would gratefully request that you RSVP to Sharon at arios@nus.edu.sgindicating your name, organization, and email address.

CONTACT DETAILS

Convenors

Dr WU Keping
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
E| ariwk@nus.edu.sg

Assoc Prof Michael FEENER
Asia Research Institute, and Department of History,
National University of Singapore
E| arifm@nus.edu.sg

Secretariat

Miss Sharon ONG
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
E| arios@nus.edu.sg