Cuilan Liu's first published book, Buddhism in Court: Religion, Law, and Jurisdiction in China, was recognized in the American Academy of Religion's 2025 Book Awards. The book was shortlisted in two categories: Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion: Historical Studies and Best First Book in the History of Religions.
Read the full award list on the AAR website.
Congratulations, Cuilan!
Another familiar name, Aziza Shanazarova, was shortlisted in Best First Book in the History of Religions for her book, "Female Religiosity in Central Asia: Sufi Leaders in the Persianate World." Shanazarova was a post-doc in Eurasian studies in Pitt's University Center for International Studies, and she taught for both the Religious Studies department and the History Department in 2019-2022.