Parity-violating asymmetry in $\vec{\gamma} d \to np$

Ongoing experimental and theoretical efforts try to measure, analyze, and interpret hadronic parity violation in few-nucleon systems, such as the NPDGamma experiment at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Important information on parity-violating nucleon-nucleon interactions can be gained from an asymmetry in the break-up reaction $\vec{\gamma} d \to np$, which might be measurable at a future high-intensity photon source such as the proposed upgraded HIGS facility. We will discuss recent theoretical calculations of this parity-violating asymmetry based on effective field theory, how they contribute to the planning of the corresponding experiment, and the impact of such a measurement on our understanding of hadronic parity violation.