Overview
Hi, I’m Ben Van Overmeire. Currently, I’m Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Duke Kunshan University. I’m working on a book on how modern autobiographical narratives of Zen life incorporate koan, medieval Zen riddles such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” or “What was your name before you were born?” My work has appeared in Religions, Contemporary Buddhism, The Journal of the Buddhist-Christian Studies Society, The Journal of Popular Cultureand other publications.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Duke Kunshan University
·
2019 - Present
DKU Faculty
Assistant Professor of the Practice of DKU Studies at Duke University
·
2023 - Present
DKU Studies
Recent Publications
American koan: Imagining Zen and self in autobiographical literature
Book · October 17, 2024 How American Buddhists use Zen riddles to imagine who they are The koan is one of the most recognizable East-Asian spiritual exercises-a thought experiment in the form of a riddle or puzzle that Zen Buddhists employ to become enlightened. Well-known exampl ... CiteZen Buddhism in America
Chapter · May 22, 2024 Full text CiteEnlightenment in the Dark Forest: Chan/Zen in Cixin Liu’s Three Body Trilogy
Journal Article Journal of Chinese Philosophy · January 1, 2024 This article explores the Chan/Zen Buddhist elements in Cixin Liu’s Three Body science fiction trilogy, particularly through the character of Luo Ji 羅輯. By exploring these references, the provocative moral and political philosophy articulated in the books ... Full text CiteEducation, Training & Certifications
University of California, San Diego ·
2016
Ph.D.