Kali Nyima Cape
Curriculum Vitae
Assistant Professor
Georgia State University
Religious Studies Department
25 Park Place, Suite 1700
Atlanta, GA 30303
Department Phone: 404 413 6110
DEGREES
Ph.D.
Religious Studies, University of Virginia. Dissertation: Women and Sexuality in the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen); A Study of The Heart of the Ḍākinī (mkha’ ‘gro snying thig).
M.A.
History of Religions, Department of Religious Studies, University of Virginia, Specializing in Sino-Tibetan Religions.
B.A
Department of Sociology, University of San Diego, Minor in Gender Studies. Minor in Communication.
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Kathmandu University of Nepal. Advanced Tibetan Language. Summer 2017.
Kathmandu University of Nepal. Tibetan Translator Training Program. September – December 2017.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Buddhism. East & South Asian Philosophy and Religions. Women, Gender and Sexuality. Feminist Theory. Post-colonial Theory. Contemplative studies. Trauma and Resilience. Human Flourishing. Digital humanities. Asian diaspora in the contemporary period.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Georgia State University, Assistant Professor
Love and Compassion in Buddhism, Spring 2023
Dickinson College, Adjunct Instructor
Buddhism in Tibet, Fall 2021
University of Virginia, Instructor
Modern Tibetan Language, Spring 2020
University of Virginia, Instructor
Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Fall 2019.
University of Virginia, Instructor
Buddhism and Gender, Fall 2019.
University of Virginia, Teaching Assistant
Introduction to Buddhism (Spring, 2019)
University of Virginia, Teaching Assistant
Tibetan Buddhism (Fall, 2015)
University of Virginia, Teaching Assistant
East Asian Religions (Spring, 2015)
University of Virginia, Teaching Assistant
Hinduism (Fall, 2014)
PUBLICATIONS
Articles
“Anatomy of a Ḍākinī: Female Consort Discourse in a Case of Fourteenth-Century Tibetan Buddhist Literature.” Journal of Dharma Studies 3, (2020): 349–371 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s42240-021-00094-2
“Female Consorts in Dzogchen (rdzogs chen), the Disciples of Pema Ledreltsal,” Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, forthcoming 2023.
“Sexuality in Buddhist Traditions.” The Cambridge World History of Sexualities. Vol 2. (Forthcoming 2021).
Book Chapters
“Sexuality in Buddhist Traditions.” The Cambridge World History of Sexualities. Vol 2. (Forthcoming 2021).
Book Reviews
Review of Tobden, Choying Dorje. Ngawang Zangpo (Translator). Reading Religion; A Publication of the American Academy of Religion. American Academy of Religion, September 27, 2018, http://readingreligion.org/books/complete-nyingma-tradition-sutra-tantra-book-14
Review of Tsomo, Karma Lekshe (ed). Eminent Buddhist Women. Asian Highlands Perspectives. 40 (2014): 499-506
FELLOWSHIPS, AWARDS & GRANTS
2022 Tsadra Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
2020 Project on Lived Theology Research Award
2020 Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow
2019 Buckner W. Clay Award in the Humanities, University of Virginia
2019 Ellen Bayard Weedon Travel Grant, East Asia Center, University of Virginia
2017 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship
2017 University of Virginia Diversity Program Professional Development Award
2016 University of Virginia Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Summer Research Award
2014 Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow Award: Chinese Language
2013 Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow Award: Tibetan Language
2012 Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow Award: Chinese Language
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
2022
“Legacies of Violence: Trauma, Buddhism, and our Collective Bodies.” Buddhism Unit and Buddhist Philosophy Unit, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Denver, Colorado, November 19-22, 2022.
2022
“Non-Dual Union in Tibetan Great Perfection” Dharma Academy of North American, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Denver, Colorado, November 19-22, 2022
2021
“Mind, Body & Sex in Tibetan Dzogchen, The Seminal Heart of the Dakini on female Mind-Body Metaphysics,” Mind-body Philosophy in Buddhism Panel, 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Boston, November 21-24.
2021
“Challenging Privilege in Buddhist Institutions and in Buddhist Studies,” Buddhist Critical-Constructive Reflection Unit and Buddhism Unit. 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Boston, November 21-24.
2021
“Female Figurations in Tibet’s early Great Perfection (rdzogs chen),” XIXth Congress of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea on August 16-21, 2020.
2020
“How Ḍākinī Become Persons – An Analysis of Female Agents in The Seminal Heart of the Ḍākinī literature.” American Academy of Religion’s Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion. University of Georgia, Athens. Feb 27- March 1, 2020.
2020
“Anatomy of a Ḍākinī, Tibetan Consort Discourse in 13th-14th Century Tibet.” Ford Conference Philosophy and Religion, 2020 Virtual Conference of Ford Fellows. October 9-10, 2020.
2019
“Ḍākinī in the Seminal Heart Narratives.” Society for Tantric Studies Conference Program. Northern Arizona University, Sept 27-29, 2019.
2019
“Women in The Seminal Heart of the Ḍākinī.” 16th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women, June 23-28, 2019.
2018
“A Sad Little Song, From stak sham rdo rjes Secret Liberation Story.” Lotsawa Translation Workshop, University of Colorado, Boulder. October 5-8, 2018.
2017
“Becoming Vajrayogini: Buddhist Identity and Self Esteem without Self in Buddhist Narratives.” Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women. June 22-28, 2017.
2015
“Bridging the Lay-Monastic Divide: Womens’ Religious Leadership in Tibet,” Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women, Compassion and Social Justice. Jun 23-30 2015.
2015
“Women in Tibetan Religious Memory,” Southeast Conference Association for Asian Studies 54th Annual Meeting, Jan 16-18 2015
2014
“Re-envisioning Trauma,” University of Virginia Buddhist Meditation: History, Culture, Development, Science Conference. Feb 28 – Mar 2, 2014.
SELECT INVITED LECTURES
2022
“Emerging Trends in the Study of Asian Religions,”Limpitlaw Speaker Series, Department of Religious Studies at Trinity College.
2022
“A Buddhist Approach to Ending Rape Culture; Beyond Neo-colonialist Critiques of Gender Violence in Tibetan Communities.” Reed Religion Symposium, Spring 2022, Reed College.
2022
“Yab Yum Symbolism, Heteronormativity, and Translating Sexual Yoga,” Lotsawa Translation Workshop, Oct 13-16, 2022, North Western University.
2021
“Comparative Buddhist Sexual Ethics Part IV; Abuse, Sex, and the Sangha with Sarah Jacoby, James Robson, Kali Cape, Sharon Suh, Jue Liang, Amy Langenberg and Lama Willa Moderator.” Abuse, Sex and the Sangha, Conversations for Healing. Religion and Sex Abuse Project. Organized by by Professors Ann Gleig and Amy Langenberg.
2021
“Scholar Practitioners in Buddhism and Buddhist Studies.” Department of Global Humanities and Religions, Western Washington University.
2021
“Women in Buddhism,” Sponsored by Natural Dharma Fellowship.
2021
“Building Empathy Skills, EQ in Work, Relationships & Life,” Hiram College.
2015
“Tibetan Yogis in Tibet, Nepal and North America,” James Madison University.
2010
“Death and Rebirth in Tibetan Buddhism,” San Francisco Community College.
2008
“Introduction to Vajrayana Buddhism,” California Institute of Integral Studies.
CAMPUS TALKS
2019
“Women in Buddhism,” Tibet Day at the University of Virginia.
2018
“Buddhism Outside the Monastery.” Summer Language Intensive, University of Virginia.
2016
“Tantric Adepts in Tibet,” Tibet Day at the University of Virginia.
2014
“Women’s Narratives in Tibet,” Chinese Language Club Speaker Series at the University of Virginia.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Coordinator of Graduate-Faculty Womens’ Group, University of Virginia.
Coordinator of Tibet Language Weekly Workshop, University of Virginia.
University of Virginia Buddhist Studies Conference 2014 Planning Committee
Co-Founder and Director of Women’s Center, University of San Diego.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Academy of Religion
Organization for the Study of Communication, Language & Gender
Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women
Sakyadhita USA National Association of Buddhist Women
National Ayurvedic Medical Association
LANGUAGES
Colloquial Tibetan: Advanced reading, writing, speaking
Classical Tibetan: Advanced reading, writing, speaking
Modern Chinese: Intermediate reading, writing, speaking
Spanish: Advanced reading, speaking
SELECT FIELD EXPERIENCE IN ASIA
2018
Field research in Eastern Tibet, Research Affiliate at SouthWest University for Nationalities Chengdu China.
2017-2018
Fulbright-Hays Scholar, Field research in Nepal,
Research affiliate at Kathmandu University.
2016-2017
Fieldwork Research in China and Eastern Tibet.
COURSES PREPARED TO TEACH
Buddhist Meditation in the Modern World
Introduction to Asian Religions
East Asian Religions
Theories & Methods in the Study of Religion
Introduction to Buddhism
Buddhist Philosophy
Tibetan Buddhism
Sex and Gender in Buddhism
Consorts in Tibet
Tibet’s Great Perfection
Death & Post Death in Tibetan Buddhism
Buddhism in America
Religious Autobiography in America
Women in Chinese Religions
Hinduism
History of Yoga