Research on the Soka Gakkai Introduced at International Conference

On July 12, a session on “The Globalization of Soka Gakkai: Center and Peripheries” was convened as part of the 36th conference of the International Society for the Sociology of Religion, held online from July 12 to 15. Dr. Toshie Kurihara of the Soka Gakkai affiliated Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) presented on Buddhism and women, surveying views on women in Buddhist writings and exploring the Soka Gakkai’s promotion of gender equality. Rosita Šorytė of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief examined the Soka Gakkai’s social engagement, citing its work toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and advocacy for UN reform and humanitarian issues. Prof. Massimo Introvigne of the Center for Studies on New Religions explored the reasons for the growth of the Soka Gakkai in Italy.