Main Areas of Research and Interest:
- Remix Theory
- Philosophy and Religion in Popular Culture
- Buddhist Philosophy
- Ironic Activism
- Pirate Politics
- Religious Dimensions of Alcohol Production/Consumption
- Apocalyptic Zombie Narratives
- Absurdist/Existential Fiction
- Zen Practice
- Animal and Environmental Ethics
- Urban Foraging and Wildcrafting
- Open Source/Access and Digital Privacy
My doctoral work revolved around the development of a model for studying how religious traditions (and by extension, cultural traditions in general) change and evolve over time: what I termed, Remix+/-. This work was predicated upon an application of remix theory and conceptual metaphor theory, and focused on the challenges it presents for concepts like authority, authenticity, and originality. Most of my examples and case studies centered on Buddhist philosophy. Recent publications, presentations, and blog posts engage with this research as it continues to develop.
I’m currently working on an application of the main theoretical portion of my dissertation (Remix+/-) to anicca (impermanence) and paṭiccasamuppāda (interdependence/dependent origination) in general, and Hua-Yen Buddhism in particular. This application frames a book project I plan to complete before the end of 2023.