Everything tagged with buddhist studies
Monday, August 13, 2012, 9:54 am
The categorization of Buddhism along geo-political lines is perhaps the most common organizing principle today. It also tends to be accepted uncritically. Thus we find, without explanation, such expressions as “Indian Buddhism,” “Tibetan Buddhism,” “Chinese Buddhism,” “Burmese Buddhism,” and so on. These categories predominate not only in popular representations of Buddhism, such as the Buddhist magazines, but also in textbooks of both “world’s religions” and of Buddhism, in academic societies, and publishing, and perhaps the most durable entrenchment, in academic appointments (full disclosure, my own title is that of Professor of “Japanese Buddhism”). The general absence of discussion regarding contemporary geo-political divisions as the organizing principle for the field of Buddhist studies, much less its justification, suggests implicitly that dividing the field along these lines is unproblematic — that it is a simple reflection of things just as they are. Naturalized in this way, the categories become hegemonic, molding both decisions regarding research and the ways in which research is presented. The category system and its consequences need to be consciously evaluated, either so that they may be used with more nuance, or replaced with less problematic and (one hopes) more intellectually productive ones.
Read the rest of this post at the OUPBlog here.
Filed under: News & Announcements | Tagged as: buddhist studies, faculty notes
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 1:04 pm
The North American District of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies is happy to announce that we have been accepted by the American Academy of Religion (AAR) as a Related Scholarly Organization (RSO).
The AAR is North America’s largest professional organization for scholars of religion. Each year, the AAR hosts an annual meeting drawing thousands of religious studies scholars together. RSOs, mainly smaller academic and professional organizations, benefit from their affiliation with the AAR by being included in the AAR’s promotional materials as well as being able to host meetings, conferences, and symposia in conjunction with the annual meeting.
As an RSO, the North American District of the AAR will be able to provide a regular venue for scholars to meet and share their work on Pure Land Buddhism. Our hope is to be able to bring Pure Land Buddhist Studies to the attention of a broader array of religious studies scholars.
RSO status will go into effect immediately. During the 2012 AAR annual meeting in Chicago, members of the North American District Steering Committee will meet to discuss how best to use this new status. We hope to begin offering an annual symposium at the AAR annual meeting beginning in 2013.
For more information, please visit the IASBS website.
Filed under: News & Announcements | Tagged as: AAR, buddhist studies, Pure Land
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 11:47 am
The American Academy of Religion is the largest professional organization for scholars of religion in North America. Since 1981, the Buddhism Section within the AAR has been the most stable and diverse forum for Buddhist studies scholars to meet and share their work.
Every autumn, the AAR hosts a national conference bringing together scholars, students, and practitioners of a wide diversity of religious traditions. And this year’s conference is in San Francisco. So you can be sure that faculty and staff from the Institute of Buddhist Studies will be in attendance!
IBS Core Faculty member Scott Mitchell has prepared information on some of the Buddhist-related events at this weekend’s conference. Of note are a panel on Pure Land Buddhist Studies, the Buddhism in the West consultation, and a reception honoring the late Leslie Kawamura. Check out his faculty blog for more info.
You can follow our Twitter account or Facebook page for more updates. We’ll be posting from the AAR Annual meeting all weekend!
Filed under: News & Announcements | Tagged as: AAR, buddhist studies
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