Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication - ARC

15/08/2026

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30/07/2026

ARC Online Public Lecture: Protecting Buddhist Heritage of Asia: Promoting Better Communication Among Buddhist Communities
To join in Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3875344942?pwd=ewgaOsOU23Da3bVnuAL6wVCu9arBao.1&omn=87360937535

30/07/2026

REMINDER: HAPPENING TODAY!

The Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication (ARC) at St. John's University, Thailand, invites you to an upcoming online public lecture:

"Protecting Buddhist Heritage of Asia: Promoting Better Communication Among Buddhist Communities"

Join global media specialists and researchers as they discuss how intentional, mindful media practices can safeguard vulnerable cultural legacies and foster deeper harmony across diverse communities.

👥 Featured Speakers:

Speaker: Dr. Kalinga Seneviratne, Ph.D. (Founder, Lotus Communication Network & Author)

Respondent: Dr. Kamolrat Intaratat, Ph.D. (Associate Professor, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand)

Date: July 30, 2026 ⏰ International Times:

📍 6:00 PM — Bangkok (BKK)

📍 1:00 PM — Rome

📍 4:30 PM — New Delhi

📍 7:00 PM — Singapore/Manila

📍 9:00 PM — Sydney

Admission: FREE! No prior registration required.

Direct Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3875344942?pwd=ewgaOsOU23Da3bVnuAL6wVCu9arBao.1&omn=87360937535

Meeting ID: 387 534 4942 🔹 Passcode: ARCWEB7.26

20/07/2026

Upcoming ARC Online Public Lecture: Protecting Buddhist Heritage of Asia

ASIAN RESEARCH CENTER FOR RELIGION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

20/07/2026

HAPPENING TODAY!

The Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice (DTCSRJ) and the Asian Research Centre for Religion and Social Communication (ARCRS) cordially invite you to join us for an upcoming Joint Public Lecture exploring the vibrant intersection of faith, performance, and modern leisure practices.

Lailatul Helwa: Musical Qasida, Nasaha Crew, and Islamic Popular Culture in Tanzania
About the Lecture
This study delves into the fascinating crossover of religion and pleasure-seeking experiences through the Qasida musical performances of the Nasaha Crew, a leading Qasida orchestra group in Tanzania.

Known as Lailatul Helwa ("Night of Sweetness"), these performances beautifully blur the lines between the sacred and the secular. By analyzing how social halls are transformed into temporary sacred spaces, this lecture challenges traditional secularization theories and explores how Qasida music serves as a powerful site for religious expression, cultural socialization, and identity formation among Tanzanian Muslims.

# # Meet the Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Hassan J. Ndzovu – Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Moi University, Kenya.

Respondent: Musa Ibrahim – Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

Respondent: Chandrabhanu Pattanayak – Director of the Institute of Knowledge Societies (IKS), India.

Event Details
Date: 20 July 2026

Time:

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (SAST)

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (EAT)

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (IST - New Delhi)

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Bangkok)

Platform (Zoom)
This public lecture is free and open to global audiences via Zoom.

Direct Access: Join the Zoom Lecture Directly: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3875344942?pwd=ZrUyi9JAK68f8AQdNsUKDJgsShb6oc.1&omn=84182089018

Meeting ID: 387 534 4942

Passcode: PUBLEC2026

We look shaking up standard assumptions about religion and public life with you! Please save the date and share this invitation with colleagues, students, and anyone interested in the dynamic realities of religion and media.

13/07/2026

COMING SOON!

The Desmond Tutu Centre for Religion and Social Justice (DTCSRJ) and the Asian Research Centre for Religion and Social Communication (ARCRS) cordially invite you to join us for an upcoming Joint Public Lecture exploring the vibrant intersection of faith, performance, and modern leisure practices.

Lailatul Helwa: Musical Qasida, Nasaha Crew, and Islamic Popular Culture in Tanzania
About the Lecture
This study delves into the fascinating crossover of religion and pleasure-seeking experiences through the Qasida musical performances of the Nasaha Crew, a leading Qasida orchestra group in Tanzania.

Known as Lailatul Helwa ("Night of Sweetness"), these performances beautifully blur the lines between the sacred and the secular. By analyzing how social halls are transformed into temporary sacred spaces, this lecture challenges traditional secularization theories and explores how Qasida music serves as a powerful site for religious expression, cultural socialization, and identity formation among Tanzanian Muslims.

# # Meet the Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Hassan J. Ndzovu – Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Moi University, Kenya.

Respondent: Musa Ibrahim – Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

Respondent: Chandrabhanu Pattanayak – Director of the Institute of Knowledge Societies (IKS), India.

Event Details
Date: 20 July 2026

Time:

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (SAST)

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (EAT)

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (IST - New Delhi)

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Bangkok)

Platform (Zoom)
This public lecture is free and open to global audiences via Zoom.

Direct Access: Join the Zoom Lecture Directly

Meeting ID: 387 534 4942

Passcode: PUBLEC2026

We look shaking up standard assumptions about religion and public life with you! Please save the date and share this invitation with colleagues, students, and anyone interested in the dynamic realities of religion and media.

08/07/2026

On Friday, July 3, 2026, the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication (ARC) at St. John’s University, Thailand, successfully hosted a global dialogue on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas: Reactions, Reflections, and Directions. Distinguished panelists—Dr. Peter Rachada Monthienvichienchai, Dr. Albertina Navas, Rev. Dr. Kasmir Nema, SVD, and Rev. Dr. Sebastian Periannan—shared profound reflections on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. Heartfelt thanks to all participants for enriching this international conversation.

06/07/2026

The Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication (ARC) at St. John’s University in Bangkok hosted an international online roundtable on July 4 to discuss Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.

Panelists urged the Church to foster digital discernment, human relationships, and moral responsibility as artificial intelligence reshapes society worldwide

04/07/2026

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS TO ARC JOURNAL VOL. 25, NO. 1, 2027 IS AUGUST 1, 2026. GO TO ARC WEBSITE FOR AUTHOR GUIDELINES.