New Partnership to Publish Interdisciplinary, Transregional Publications in Buddhist Studies

American Council of Learned Societies Collaborating with The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global and Yale University Press on Major Book Series

NEW YORK, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is launching Global Buddhism, a major book series published by Yale University Press. The new book series is designed to publish first books by awardees of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies, based on research funded by the program. Books will be published in English but may cover topics related to any Buddhist tradition anywhere in the world. The series is made possible by generous financial support from The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global. 

In summer 2025, ACLS will launch the first call for applications for awardees of the program to submit book proposals. Submissions will be reviewed by an editorial board comprised of leading scholars of Buddhist Studies, who will recommend up to three manuscripts for publication in 2025-26 and 2026-27. 

"The Global Buddhism series is 'global' in two senses of that term," said Donald Lopez, Jr., Senior Advisor to The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies and editor of the new series. "First, it follows Buddhism not only across Asia but around the world. And second, it recognizes Buddhism in all its incarnations, from the time of the Buddha to the present day. The Program in Buddhist Studies has long supported scholars as they move from dissertation to manuscript. With the Global Buddhism series, that support extends to the first book, opening new vistas along the way."

The Global Buddhism series is an essential new addition to The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies. Since 2013, the program has supported early-career scholars through Dissertation and Research Fellowships, as well as mentoring opportunities and events to help build international networks. 

"ACLS is excited to partner with Yale University Press on this unique new series," said Daphne Weber, ACLS Program Officer of Buddhist Studies. "By prioritizing support for first books by outstanding new scholars in the field, this series will affirm our commitment to the next generation." 

The Program in Buddhist Studies is made possible by a $7.5 million grant extension to ACLS from The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global to promote and support knowledge production through fellowships and grants, strengthen international networks through annual symposia for early career fellows, and enhance public understanding of Buddhist art, traditions, and culture. 

Inspired and informed by the concept of interconnectedness, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global supports programs in arts and culture and Buddhism, and funds initiatives that enhance the wellbeing of humanity and the environment. 

Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 81 scholarly organizations. As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, ACLS upholds the core principle that knowledge is a public good. In supporting its member organizations, ACLS expands the forms, content, and flow of scholarly knowledge, reflecting its commitment to diversity of identity and experience. ACLS collaborates with institutions, associations, and individuals to strengthen the evolving infrastructure for scholarship. 

By publishing serious works that contribute to a global understanding of human affairs, Yale University Press aids in the discovery and dissemination of light and truth, lux et veritas, which is a central purpose of Yale University. The publications of the Press are books and other materials that further scholarly investigation, advance interdisciplinary inquiry, stimulate public debate, educate both within and outside the classroom, and enhance cultural life. In its commitment to increasing the range and vigor of intellectual pursuits within the university and elsewhere, Yale University Press continually extends its horizons to embody university publishing at its best. 

SOURCE American Council of Learned Societies