Aike Rots
@aikerots.bsky.social
Professor of East Asian Religions at the University of Oslo. Interested in rituals, heritage, environment, whales, goddesses. Books: Shinto, Nature and Ideology in Contemporary Japan (2017); Sacred Heritage in Japan (2020); Water Powers (forthcoming).
Reposted by Aike Rots
Great text! What if AI is not here to stay?"Generative AI has been compared to the Concorde. Supersonic commercial flight seemed there to stay, until it became clear it would’t work at scale: too costly, too risky, too environmentally harmful" : www.universitetsavisa.no/fremtidsscen...
What if generative AI is not here to stay?
- Generative AI has been compared to the Concorde. Supersonic commercial flight seemed there to stay, until it became clear it would’t work at scale: too costly, too risky, too environmentally harmful...
www.universitetsavisa.no
November 12, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Great text! What if AI is not here to stay?"Generative AI has been compared to the Concorde. Supersonic commercial flight seemed there to stay, until it became clear it would’t work at scale: too costly, too risky, too environmentally harmful" : www.universitetsavisa.no/fremtidsscen...
Very much looking forward to my upcoming trip to Japan! 🇯🇵
Four weeks in Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Kansai, and Kyushu. A full schedule, with work meetings, excursions, and three academic events.
Please join if you are in town: ⬇️
Four weeks in Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Kansai, and Kyushu. A full schedule, with work meetings, excursions, and three academic events.
Please join if you are in town: ⬇️
November 12, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Very much looking forward to my upcoming trip to Japan! 🇯🇵
Four weeks in Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Kansai, and Kyushu. A full schedule, with work meetings, excursions, and three academic events.
Please join if you are in town: ⬇️
Four weeks in Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Kansai, and Kyushu. A full schedule, with work meetings, excursions, and three academic events.
Please join if you are in town: ⬇️
Reposted by Aike Rots
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
September 6, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n
In Kraków for the #IAHR2025 conference. Started today with a city walk, Catholic Mass, and Polish folk dance performance. Looking forward to the conference! I will be on two panels: "Recentring fear in the study of religion" (Tu, 9am) and "Religion and heritage-making in Japan and beyond" (Th, 1pm).
August 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
In Kraków for the #IAHR2025 conference. Started today with a city walk, Catholic Mass, and Polish folk dance performance. Looking forward to the conference! I will be on two panels: "Recentring fear in the study of religion" (Tu, 9am) and "Religion and heritage-making in Japan and beyond" (Th, 1pm).
Reposted by Aike Rots
Ja, dette viser at vi er et land uten kontroll på oljesektoren.
Og det miljøbevegelsen så forsiktig ber om, er en PLAN for utfasingen av denne forurensende næringa, på en måte som også ivaretar arbeidere i sektoren. Men noen krever full gass mot stupet www.nrk.no/klima/norge-...
Og det miljøbevegelsen så forsiktig ber om, er en PLAN for utfasingen av denne forurensende næringa, på en måte som også ivaretar arbeidere i sektoren. Men noen krever full gass mot stupet www.nrk.no/klima/norge-...
August 22, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Ja, dette viser at vi er et land uten kontroll på oljesektoren.
Og det miljøbevegelsen så forsiktig ber om, er en PLAN for utfasingen av denne forurensende næringa, på en måte som også ivaretar arbeidere i sektoren. Men noen krever full gass mot stupet www.nrk.no/klima/norge-...
Og det miljøbevegelsen så forsiktig ber om, er en PLAN for utfasingen av denne forurensende næringa, på en måte som også ivaretar arbeidere i sektoren. Men noen krever full gass mot stupet www.nrk.no/klima/norge-...
Reposted by Aike Rots
What is the relationship between whaling, heritage, tourism & community? Through ethnographic research, @aikerots.bsky.social examines festivals in 3 Japanese towns as case studies of whaling as a social imaginary and reveals how heritage-making is a future-oriented endeavor doi.org/10.1080/1869...
August 11, 2025 at 12:40 AM
What is the relationship between whaling, heritage, tourism & community? Through ethnographic research, @aikerots.bsky.social examines festivals in 3 Japanese towns as case studies of whaling as a social imaginary and reveals how heritage-making is a future-oriented endeavor doi.org/10.1080/1869...
Reposted by Aike Rots
One week left to apply for this tenured #envhist job!
We are hiring! Fully tenured associate professorship in environmental history! We are looking for someone who can be a strong contributor to the history group, to a new #envhum related MA program (if all goes well), and to @greenhouseuis.net. #envhist
Associate Professor in Environmental History (281801) | University of Stavanger
Job title: Associate Professor in Environmental History (281801), Employer: University of Stavanger, Deadline: Thursday, August 7, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
July 31, 2025 at 3:33 PM
One week left to apply for this tenured #envhist job!
Just published: my article "Crossing Boundaries: Rethinking 'Japanese Religion' in the Anthropocene." A great honour to have been invited to contribute to the 50th anniversary issue of @jjrs-nirc.bsky.social. Many thanks @mcmullen.bsky.social, @jolyonbt.bsky.social, and @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social.
The Japanese Journal of Religious Studies @jjrs-nirc.bsky.social ✨50th anniv issue✨ abt past, present, & future of 🇯🇵 religious studies is out!
🙏Paul Swanson, Hayashi Makoto, Kawahashi Noriko, Keller Kimbrough, Emi Foulk Bushelle, @orionklautau.bsky.social @jolyonbt.bsky.social @aikerots.bsky.social
🙏Paul Swanson, Hayashi Makoto, Kawahashi Noriko, Keller Kimbrough, Emi Foulk Bushelle, @orionklautau.bsky.social @jolyonbt.bsky.social @aikerots.bsky.social
NIRC
nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp
July 31, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Just published: my article "Crossing Boundaries: Rethinking 'Japanese Religion' in the Anthropocene." A great honour to have been invited to contribute to the 50th anniversary issue of @jjrs-nirc.bsky.social. Many thanks @mcmullen.bsky.social, @jolyonbt.bsky.social, and @kaitlynugoretz.bsky.social.
A short article on CORDIS, the research dissemination website of @erc.europa.eu, about our Horizon 2020 research project "Whales of Power" (2019-2025) 🇪🇺🐳🙏. In six languages 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪🇪🇸🇮🇹🇵🇱! Many thanks again to the European Research Council for making this project possible. cordis.europa.eu/article/id/4...
Exploring human-cetacean relations in maritime East Asia
A comparative ethnographic project dived into the links between religion, biodiversity and the environment.,,,European Commission
cordis.europa.eu
June 23, 2025 at 2:24 PM
A short article on CORDIS, the research dissemination website of @erc.europa.eu, about our Horizon 2020 research project "Whales of Power" (2019-2025) 🇪🇺🐳🙏. In six languages 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪🇪🇸🇮🇹🇵🇱! Many thanks again to the European Research Council for making this project possible. cordis.europa.eu/article/id/4...
Reposted by Aike Rots
What does it really mean to transform society toward sustainability?
On June 3, the RESULTS Symposium brings together researchers, activists, and professionals in Oslo for a day of conversations, collaboration, and reflection.
🕒 Today’s the last day to register!
🔗 shorturl.at/LZCV1
#Sustainability
On June 3, the RESULTS Symposium brings together researchers, activists, and professionals in Oslo for a day of conversations, collaboration, and reflection.
🕒 Today’s the last day to register!
🔗 shorturl.at/LZCV1
#Sustainability
RESULTS Symposium on Sustainability Transformations
- Include - Research centre for socially inclusive energy transitions
Transformations to sustainability: Are we talking with or past each other?
shorturl.at
May 27, 2025 at 10:29 AM
What does it really mean to transform society toward sustainability?
On June 3, the RESULTS Symposium brings together researchers, activists, and professionals in Oslo for a day of conversations, collaboration, and reflection.
🕒 Today’s the last day to register!
🔗 shorturl.at/LZCV1
#Sustainability
On June 3, the RESULTS Symposium brings together researchers, activists, and professionals in Oslo for a day of conversations, collaboration, and reflection.
🕒 Today’s the last day to register!
🔗 shorturl.at/LZCV1
#Sustainability
Reposted by Aike Rots
My article "Whales of Hope: Whaling Heritage, Tourism, and Community Belonging in Twenty-First-Century Japan" has just been published. It is part of the special issue "Japan Futures" (eds. Fabio Gygi and Iza Kavedžija). Many thanks to the editors and reviewers. 🐳
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Whales of hope: Whaling heritage, tourism, and community belonging in twenty-first-century Japan
This article discusses the significance of whaling heritage in contemporary Japan. It distinguishes between whaling as lived socioeconomic practice on the one hand, and whaling heritage as social i...
www.tandfonline.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
My article "Whales of Hope: Whaling Heritage, Tourism, and Community Belonging in Twenty-First-Century Japan" has just been published. It is part of the special issue "Japan Futures" (eds. Fabio Gygi and Iza Kavedžija). Many thanks to the editors and reviewers. 🐳
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
My article "Whales of Hope: Whaling Heritage, Tourism, and Community Belonging in Twenty-First-Century Japan" has just been published. It is part of the special issue "Japan Futures" (eds. Fabio Gygi and Iza Kavedžija). Many thanks to the editors and reviewers. 🐳
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Whales of hope: Whaling heritage, tourism, and community belonging in twenty-first-century Japan
This article discusses the significance of whaling heritage in contemporary Japan. It distinguishes between whaling as lived socioeconomic practice on the one hand, and whaling heritage as social i...
www.tandfonline.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
My article "Whales of Hope: Whaling Heritage, Tourism, and Community Belonging in Twenty-First-Century Japan" has just been published. It is part of the special issue "Japan Futures" (eds. Fabio Gygi and Iza Kavedžija). Many thanks to the editors and reviewers. 🐳
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Aike Rots
I will forever be haunted by this footage.
Trawling has only been filmed underwater a few times in documentary history, and never with such clarity.
What’s so heart-rending about these shots is watching how the animals don’t just get swept up — they swim for their lives.
🌎🦑🧪
Trawling has only been filmed underwater a few times in documentary history, and never with such clarity.
What’s so heart-rending about these shots is watching how the animals don’t just get swept up — they swim for their lives.
🌎🦑🧪
May 9, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I will forever be haunted by this footage.
Trawling has only been filmed underwater a few times in documentary history, and never with such clarity.
What’s so heart-rending about these shots is watching how the animals don’t just get swept up — they swim for their lives.
🌎🦑🧪
Trawling has only been filmed underwater a few times in documentary history, and never with such clarity.
What’s so heart-rending about these shots is watching how the animals don’t just get swept up — they swim for their lives.
🌎🦑🧪
Reposted by Aike Rots
Akademiet for yngre forskere leter etter 10 nye medlemmer!
AYF samler fantastiske forskere i tidlig karriere der brenner for forskningspolitikk, forskningsformidling og vitenskapelig debatt.
Søknadsfristen er 15. juni
Mer info ⤵
akademietforyngreforskere.no/vil-du-bli-m...
AYF samler fantastiske forskere i tidlig karriere der brenner for forskningspolitikk, forskningsformidling og vitenskapelig debatt.
Søknadsfristen er 15. juni
Mer info ⤵
akademietforyngreforskere.no/vil-du-bli-m...
Vil du bli medlem hos oss? Nå kan du søke medlemskap! Frist 15.juni - Akademiet for yngre forskere
Vil du bli medlem hos oss? Nå kan du søke medlemskap! Frist 15.juni Link to the English edition of the Call for applications Velkommen til åpent nettmøte med oss 27.mai kl. 12.00 – les mer og registr...
akademietforyngreforskere.no
May 7, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Akademiet for yngre forskere leter etter 10 nye medlemmer!
AYF samler fantastiske forskere i tidlig karriere der brenner for forskningspolitikk, forskningsformidling og vitenskapelig debatt.
Søknadsfristen er 15. juni
Mer info ⤵
akademietforyngreforskere.no/vil-du-bli-m...
AYF samler fantastiske forskere i tidlig karriere der brenner for forskningspolitikk, forskningsformidling og vitenskapelig debatt.
Søknadsfristen er 15. juni
Mer info ⤵
akademietforyngreforskere.no/vil-du-bli-m...
Reposted by Aike Rots
Very proud of my partner Nhung Lu Rots, who has submitted her PhD dissertation "Engaged Buddhism and Environmentality among Buddhist Minorities in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam" @uio.no. A great achievement! One of the dissertation's articles was published recently: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta
This article examines the role of Hòa Hảo Buddhism in providing alternative healthcare, through traditional medicine and charity clinics, in the Mekong Delta. Based on participant observation and i...
www.tandfonline.com
May 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Very proud of my partner Nhung Lu Rots, who has submitted her PhD dissertation "Engaged Buddhism and Environmentality among Buddhist Minorities in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam" @uio.no. A great achievement! One of the dissertation's articles was published recently: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Very proud of my partner Nhung Lu Rots, who has submitted her PhD dissertation "Engaged Buddhism and Environmentality among Buddhist Minorities in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam" @uio.no. A great achievement! One of the dissertation's articles was published recently: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta
This article examines the role of Hòa Hảo Buddhism in providing alternative healthcare, through traditional medicine and charity clinics, in the Mekong Delta. Based on participant observation and i...
www.tandfonline.com
May 8, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Very proud of my partner Nhung Lu Rots, who has submitted her PhD dissertation "Engaged Buddhism and Environmentality among Buddhist Minorities in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam" @uio.no. A great achievement! One of the dissertation's articles was published recently: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Aike Rots
New on Bluesky!
We’re OCEH - a research hub at the University of Oslo @uio.no, exploring climate, nature & culture through the humanities.
Follow for research highlights, events, reading tips & snapshots from the OCEH Lab.
📸 OCEH Lab
hf.uio.no/oceh
#ClimateCrisis #EnvironmentalHumanities #envhum
We’re OCEH - a research hub at the University of Oslo @uio.no, exploring climate, nature & culture through the humanities.
Follow for research highlights, events, reading tips & snapshots from the OCEH Lab.
📸 OCEH Lab
hf.uio.no/oceh
#ClimateCrisis #EnvironmentalHumanities #envhum
May 2, 2025 at 7:42 AM
New on Bluesky!
We’re OCEH - a research hub at the University of Oslo @uio.no, exploring climate, nature & culture through the humanities.
Follow for research highlights, events, reading tips & snapshots from the OCEH Lab.
📸 OCEH Lab
hf.uio.no/oceh
#ClimateCrisis #EnvironmentalHumanities #envhum
We’re OCEH - a research hub at the University of Oslo @uio.no, exploring climate, nature & culture through the humanities.
Follow for research highlights, events, reading tips & snapshots from the OCEH Lab.
📸 OCEH Lab
hf.uio.no/oceh
#ClimateCrisis #EnvironmentalHumanities #envhum
Reposted by Aike Rots
THE RISE OF END TIMES FASCISM
My first major piece of the new Trump era, co-written with @astra.bsky.social.
The governing ideology of the far right has become a
monstrous, supremacist survivalism.
Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
My first major piece of the new Trump era, co-written with @astra.bsky.social.
The governing ideology of the far right has become a
monstrous, supremacist survivalism.
Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
The rise of end times fascism
The governing ideology of the far right has become a monstrous, supremacist survivalism. Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them
www.theguardian.com
April 13, 2025 at 1:32 PM
THE RISE OF END TIMES FASCISM
My first major piece of the new Trump era, co-written with @astra.bsky.social.
The governing ideology of the far right has become a
monstrous, supremacist survivalism.
Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
My first major piece of the new Trump era, co-written with @astra.bsky.social.
The governing ideology of the far right has become a
monstrous, supremacist survivalism.
Our task is to build a movement strong enough to stop them. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Sharing this video of excited people and wrestling spiders mostly to give you all a short break from doomscrolling. It may be hard to believe these days but there are still fun and interesting things happening in the world. Cherish them. 🕷️
Jumping spider fighting in Chiba, which a local group has registered with a UNESCO project. A tournament will be held in Futtsu in May. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHz3...
April 9, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Sharing this video of excited people and wrestling spiders mostly to give you all a short break from doomscrolling. It may be hard to believe these days but there are still fun and interesting things happening in the world. Cherish them. 🕷️
RIP Hatakeyama Shigeatsu (1943-2025), an oyster fisherman from Tohoku who started a reforestation project to improve the coastal environment under the slogan "the forest is the lover of the sea" (森は海の恋人). In 2012, he was awarded a UN Forest Hero award for his work. 🦪🌱
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
VOX POPULI: The forest is the sea’s lover: A tale of a tree-planting fisherman | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
“The forest is the lover of the sea.”
www.asahi.com
April 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
RIP Hatakeyama Shigeatsu (1943-2025), an oyster fisherman from Tohoku who started a reforestation project to improve the coastal environment under the slogan "the forest is the lover of the sea" (森は海の恋人). In 2012, he was awarded a UN Forest Hero award for his work. 🦪🌱
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
Reposted by Aike Rots
Can we get more of this? “The Japanese American National Museum will ‘scrub nothing,’ Fujioka said, and instead will highlight the importance of DEI.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
Japanese American National Museum takes a stand against DOGE cuts to NEH
The National Endowment for the Humanities warned museums across the country that it was slashing funding, including money previously pledged to places such as LACMA and the Japanese American National ...
www.latimes.com
April 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Can we get more of this? “The Japanese American National Museum will ‘scrub nothing,’ Fujioka said, and instead will highlight the importance of DEI.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
“Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in,” Fujioka said.
Reposted by Aike Rots
Mijn scriptie ging over Karl Popper’s Open Society: over de fundamenten van de democratie en de pijlers waarop ze rust. Zoals onafhankelijke pers en wetenschap.
Vanavond lees ik over de uitholling vd publieke omroep en de aanval op academische vrijheid.
Het kan snel gaan…
nos.nl/artikel/2562...
Vanavond lees ik over de uitholling vd publieke omroep en de aanval op academische vrijheid.
Het kan snel gaan…
nos.nl/artikel/2562...
Wetenschappers bijeen om zorgen over academische vrijheid in Nederland en VS
In een zaal van de Universiteit Leiden spraken wetenschappers hun zorgen uit, en probeerden ze van elkaar te leren hoe ze zich tegen de invloed van de VS kunnen wapenen.
nos.nl
April 4, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Mijn scriptie ging over Karl Popper’s Open Society: over de fundamenten van de democratie en de pijlers waarop ze rust. Zoals onafhankelijke pers en wetenschap.
Vanavond lees ik over de uitholling vd publieke omroep en de aanval op academische vrijheid.
Het kan snel gaan…
nos.nl/artikel/2562...
Vanavond lees ik over de uitholling vd publieke omroep en de aanval op academische vrijheid.
Het kan snel gaan…
nos.nl/artikel/2562...
Reposted by Aike Rots
What did 14 years of autocratic populism produce in Hungary?
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
The Hungarian Model
MAGA conservatives love Viktor Orbán. But he’s left his country corrupt, stagnant, and impoverished.
www.theatlantic.com
March 31, 2025 at 10:58 AM
What did 14 years of autocratic populism produce in Hungary?
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Poverty and corruption
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
My colleagues and I at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Uni Oslo) have written a statement of support for our colleagues at Columbia University. In solidarity with them - and others in the US who face censorship and oppression.
www.khrono.no/in-solidarit...
www.khrono.no/in-solidarit...
Letter of support: In solidarity with our colleagues at Columbia University
A letter of support from faculty at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian, and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oslo.
www.khrono.no
March 29, 2025 at 7:20 PM
My colleagues and I at the Department of Culture, Religion, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Uni Oslo) have written a statement of support for our colleagues at Columbia University. In solidarity with them - and others in the US who face censorship and oppression.
www.khrono.no/in-solidarit...
www.khrono.no/in-solidarit...