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About Jesse
Jesse J. Lee (he/him) is a postdoctoral research associate for the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. He earned his PhD in Religion from Florida State University in 2024, specializing in American Religious History. He researches the intersection of religion, race, and American law, especially in the context of Asian American religious history. His first book project explores the legal history of the Buddhist Churches of America, demonstrating how religio-racial minorities utilized the protections and privileges afforded to religion and religious corporations in American law.
What is your area of expertise or field of study?
As a legal historian of Asian American religion, my research explores the co-constitutive relationship between religion, race, and citizenship in American law. I primarily study Japanese American Buddhism in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, as Japanese American Buddhists navigated competing transpacific imperial projects, racially exclusionary laws in the United States, and the difficulties of religious and legal legibility to both state and society. I am continually learning about the manifold manifestations of religious and racial ideologies in secular law and science.
Why did you get involved with AAR and how is your work aligned?
The first AAR conference I attended was the 2017 meeting in Boston, which was only a few months after I started graduate school. I barely knew what the academic study of religion was at that point, but I had a wonderful experience meeting many engaging and supportive scholars. This developing academic network encouraged me to present first at the Southeastern regional meetings for the AAR (formerly SECSOR) and eventually present at the 2019 national meeting in San Diego.
The friends and contacts I made at AAR also connected me with other academic networks related to my research, such as the Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI) and the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS). I am now proudly serving as a co-chair for the Asian North American Religion, Culture, and Society (ANARCS) Unit for the AAR, where I work to include and encourage graduate students and other scholars like I was in the beginning of my academic journey.
What is your favorite AAR member benefit, and how has it helped your career?
There are many AAR member benefits that have helped shape my academic experience and scholarly identity, but the first thing that comes to mind is Reading Religion. Writing a book review for Reading Religion was one of the first experiences I had engaging in broader academic conversations and participating in the editorial process. It was an easy and accessible entry into academic writing as a graduate student, and the reviews on the website have continued to be a reliable resource for good insights on the most recent books in religious studies and adjacent fields.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to a first-time Annual Meeting attendee?
The annual meeting is incredibly large and can be overwhelming. It’s important to remember that you need not and cannot do everything. There are simply too many panel sessions, workshops, receptions, and other conference activities to see or attend, not to mention all the sights and attractions of the host city. Instead, strive for depth and connection with a select few panels and receptions, rather than spreading yourself too thin. I believe cultivating those select relationships, conversations, and networks will be more professionally beneficial and personally enjoyable for you.
What book is on your nightstand that you’re reading or intend to read in the future?
Since finishing my PhD, my partner has been helping me fall back in love with nonacademic literature. We are currently reading through all of Jane Austen’s novels together, so the book on my nightstand right now is Pride and Prejudice.
The book I am most excited to read is Emergent Dharma: Asian American Feminist Buddhists on Practice, Identity, and Resistance, edited by Sharon Suh. The book comes out on December 9, 2025, and I have already placed my preorder.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Since moving to St. Louis last year, I have spent a lot of time exploring the city. I am still discovering new restaurants, coffee shops, museums, and festivals. On the weekends, I like to go on long walks with my dog, Prince, through one of the many parks in town. I also picked up Pokémon GO again this past summer, which is helping me to stay active and discover interesting landmarks all around town.