Religions journal seeks submissions for its special issue, “Topography of Mind,” an exploration of the profound nexus between Buddhist arts and the landscapes of the mind they reflect and construct, both physical and psychological. This issue aims to unravel the complex tapestry of Buddhist expression, acknowledging that ‘sites’ within Buddhist traditions manifest both as tangible edifices and intangible states of consciousness. These fieldmaps of consciousness can be understood through close attention to the study of Buddhist visual and material artefacts, recombinatory pictorial forms revealing intertextual concept maps that might not otherwise be elucidated solely from the study of text. We seek papers that take visual media as their primary point of entry in their exploration of mental experiences, networked associations, and theories of the mind.

Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Eugene Y. Wang

Submission Process

Abstract Submission

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to Guest Editor Assistants, Mr. Michael Norton (michael_norton@g.harvard.edu), Ms. Icey Lin (bingjielin@g.harvard.edu), and Ms. Sophie Lei (xlei@g.harvard.edu) by September 20th, 2024. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor Assistants in order to ensure that contributions are within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo a double-blind peer review process. We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Manuscript Submission

The submission deadline is December 20th 2024, and prospective authors should ensure their manuscripts comply with the submission guidelines provided by the Religions journal. The editorial committee looks forward to receiving insightful contributions that shed light on both the seen and unseen ‘topographies’ of the Buddhist world, contributing to a richer understanding of the dynamic interplay between environment, art, and the architecture of belief.

All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website by December 20th 2024. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Keywords

• Buddhist art
• landscapes of the psyche
• tangible edifices
• sacred space
• intangible states of consciousness

About

Religions is an international peer-reviewed open-access monthly journal published by MDPI.

This Special Issue is supported by Harvard FAS CAMLab.

Contact

For submission-related inquiries, please visit the official website or contact the Guest Editor Assistants:

Mr. Michael Norton (michael_norton@g.harvard.edu)

Ms. Icey Lin (bingjielin@g.harvard.edu)

Ms. Sophie Lei (xlei@g.harvard.edu)