Aims and Scope

The Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia (JDTREA) is the official English language journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences, and thus far, it is the only peer-reviewed, English language journal dedicated to not only research on the contemporary relevance of East Asia Religions, but also to research on the relatively new fields of East Asian New Religious Movements (EANRMs) and Daesoon Thought. Although there is a reasonable level of worldwide familiarity with the major religious traditions of East Asia, misunderstandings are still common, and novel research on these movements remains highly beneficial. As for EANRMs and Daesoon Thought, both are profoundly under-researched outside of East Asia. As a remedy to this, the Daesoon Academy of Science (DAOS), aims to publish JDTREA twice a year and hold conferences on East Asian religions and Daesoon Thought such as the World SangSaeng Forum and the JDTREA Conference. Daesoon Thought refers to a grouping of native Korean religious concepts best characterized by the Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence (Haewon Sangsaeng) and the Grateful Reciprocation of Favors for Mutual Beneficence (Boeun Sangsaeng); two concepts that can be traced back to the religious figure, Kang Jeungsan. The editorial board of JDTREA consists of active scholars from over a dozen countries including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, and the USA. JDTREA is published to promote global studies on East Asia religion and Daesoon Thought by encouraging wide-ranging research on these topics. The scope of JDTREA includes the following:

  • Interpretation and analysis of religious phenomena in all fields of the humanities and social sciences
  • Comparative research on the above in relation to another religion, philosophy, ideology, etc.
  • Critical reviews of academic trends, mainly in the arts and humanities, that relate to East Asian religions and/or Daesoon Thought
  • New interpretations of and approaches to East Asian religions and/or Daesoon Thought

The types of publications featured in JDTREA will include original articles, research notes, and book reviews. Other types of contributions are negotiable but subject to the approval of the editorial board. All unsolicited articles will be subject to peer review, and commissioned articles are reviewed by the Editorial Board.