My research focuses on East Asian Buddhism as expressed through non-canonical, aesthetic media such as fiction, poetry, and film. By looking at these relatively more popular forms of expression, I discern the degree to which Buddhist philosophical views--particularly on the nature and use of language--have enabled the development of these artistic genres in China and East Asia generally.

I am currently working on a book that utilizes the Buddhist view of language to provide a comparative cultural perspective on the tensions between religion and science in contemporary western society.

I am also continuing my work on Buddhism and film, which addresses how Buddhist literature and themes are being transmitted since the 20th century, in both East and West, through this new medium.

Finally, I work in the area of theoretical inquiry into the study of religion, with a particular interest in the comparative method and the question of how the study of another culture can reshape our analytical categories.