Franciscan Spiritual Traditions
& Asian Societies:
Memory, Institutionalization, & Pragmatic Agency 

Eight centuries since the establishment of the Franciscan movement anchored in the charism and values of fraternity, radical humility and poverty, care for creation and reconciliation, the Franciscans have instituted not only a global presence of religious culture and networks but also produced values and ideas as resource of counterculture and imagining and rebuilding ‘alternative’ societies that have contributed to global history and social change. The proclamation of the Franciscan Jubilee Year in 2026 serves as a critical juncture for scholars to examine how religious traditions translate into functional societal frameworks. Moving beyond traditional theological discourses, this conference investigates Franciscan charisms as a “form-of-life” that are (in)advertently woven into various dimensions of social life in Asia and actively engages with ecological challenges, modern governance, public memory, and social infrastructure within the distinct context of Asian Catholicism.

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Historically and contemporarily, Catholicism in Asia has been profoundly shaped by complex transnational networks and rapid socio-cultural development. In these deeply pluralistic landscapes, Catholic communities often navigate their faith as a minority population, except in East Timor and the Philippines. Here, Franciscan traditions operate as both a historical archive and a pragmatic toolkit for addressing distinctive regional realities and challenges, ranging from interreligious dialogue in multi-faith societies to climate change and communal wellbeing. Catholic communities in Asia are not only passive recipients of a longstanding religious tradition with all its historical, theological, and institutional complexity and possibility but also the strategic site to interrogate, con(test), deepen, and transform Franciscan movement.

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This online conference, to be held on 1-2 October 2026 and convened by the Initiative for the Study of Asian Catholics (ISAC), explores the utility and institutionalization of Franciscan values through projects grounded in empirical research, archival study, or theoretical analysis. Papers are encouraged to consider the following three pillars of Franciscan spirituality as sociological and historical categories specifically situated within Asia:

• Minoritas (Alternative Power): The subversion of social hierarchy and the negotiation of agency from the periphery, particularly relevant to the lived experience of Catholic minority communities across Asian states.

• Fraternitas (Social Capital): The construction of non-kinship-based networks of solidarity and their crucial role in Asian civil society, diplomacy, and inter-communal mediation.

• Paupertas (Critique of Ownership): Practical responses to consumption, resource management, and the "Economy of Francesco" amid Asia's rapid economic growth and pressing ecological shifts.

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The conference will apply these conceptual lenses to analyze the interstices of religion, the “social’ and society through three primary streams:

1. Religion in Asian Society: Institutional presence of NGOs/FBOs, negotiating varying models of secularism across Asian nations, diplomacy, and inter-communal mediation.

2. Memory and Heritage: The architecture of memory, memorialization of Catholic histories in Asia, contested post-colonial narratives, and embodied memory.

3. Social Infrastructure: Ecological agency addressing the region's climate vulnerability, restorative justice, and healthcare (mental wellbeing).

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We welcome proposals that address the following questions:

• How do specific Franciscan charisms operate as mechanisms for negotiating agency from the periphery/center within distinct Asian socio-cultural developments?

• In what ways do transnational Catholic networks of solidarity contribute to civil society and interreligious relations in Asia's diverse and pluralistic landscapes?

• How does the Franciscan critique of ownership manifest in practical responses to Asia's rapid urbanization and contemporary ecological challenges?

• In what ways do Franciscan spiritual traditions in localized social contexts contribute to or complicate the reimagining, maintenance, and persistence of global Catholicism?

• What are the methodological opportunities and limitations in analyzing Franciscan spirituality as a localized, sociological, and historical category within Global Asian Catholicism?

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Conveners:

Dr Bryan Goh, National University of Singapore

Dr. Bubbles B. Asor, De La Salle University Manila 

 

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Submission Schedule

We invite proposals for individual papers. Proposals should include: 

• an abstract of not more than 350 words, clearly stating the research question, methodology, and empirical/theoretical contribution,

• a 100-word biographical note of the scholar

• Contact information and affiliation

• Expected location of the scholar in early October during the online conference.

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Proposals should be submitted online through this form by July 31, 2026 at the latest.

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Acceptance letter will be issued by the end of August and a full program of the conference by mid-September.

 

Stay in touch

If you would like to stay informed about this online conference (receive updates and the program, when available), or attend its panels, please register your interest through: 

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If you have any questions, please get in touch with Dr. Bryan Goh at bryangoh@nus.edu.sg