Interconnecting West and East Asia: A Transcultural Study of the Architecture of the Dead, SAH 2022, Abstracts DUE JUNE 2

In the wake of a growing interest in the global approach to architectural history, this session seeks to widen the scope of current research by conducting a transcultural and comparative analysis of the funerary construction practices in West and East Asia from the turn of the Common Era to the Early Modern Period. With the aim to open up a dialogue between scholars of the ancient and early modern period, and the area studies of West Asia (Islamic, Middle East, Mediterranean) and East Asia (China, Korea, Japan), we propose to investigate the connectivity between West and East Asian architecture through the lens of the "architecture of the dead," including burial structures, tomb decorations, construction techniques, and the role funerary architecture played in negotiating the social relations. 

Works that explore interactional, contrasting, and shared strategies between West and East Asian funerary architecture in the process of their construction, reception, and appropriation are welcomed. We are particularly interested in research that concerns women's visibility and that raises questions of how funerary architecture shaped or challenged the existing gender norms. We ask how the mortuary structure and tomb furnishing shed light on the ethnic and religious identity of the deceased, as well as the communities involved in the construction of the burials. We are also looking for studies that address the social dimension of the tombs, situating burials at the center of the social network among different walks of life and between the living and the dead. Lastly, we welcome research probing into the engagement between manmade funerary architecture and the natural landscape, in the hope of highlighting the co-dependency between humans and nature.

Session Chairs: Fan Zhang, Tulane University; and Deniz Karakas, Tulane University

Submission Guidelines: 

Abstracts must be under 300 words. 

The title cannot exceed 65 characters, including spaces and punctuation. 

Abstracts and titles must follow the Chicago Manual of Style. 

Only one abstract per conference by an author or co-author may be submitted. 

A maximum of three (3) authors per abstract will be accepted. 

Please attach a two-page CV in PDF format.

Abstracts are to be submitted online using the link below. 

https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/login?redirect=/stages/2562/submitter