Buddhism in America: Global Religion, Local Contexts

by Scott A. Mitchell

Overview

Buddhism in America provides the most comprehensive and up to date survey of the diverse landscape of US Buddhist traditions, their history and development, and current methodological trends in the study of Buddhism in the West, located within the translocal flow of global Buddhist culture.

Divided into three parts (Histories; Traditions; Frames), this introduction traces Buddhism's history and encounter with North American culture, charts the landscape of US Buddhist communities, and engages current methodological and theoretical developments in the field.

The volume includes:

- A short introduction to Buddhism
- A historical survey from the 19th century to the present
- Coverage of contemporary US Buddhist communities, including Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana

Theoretical and methodological issues and debates covered include:

- Social, political and environmental engagement
- Race, feminist, and queer theories of Buddhism
- Secular Buddhism, digital Buddhism, and modernity
- Popular culture, media, and the arts

Pedagogical tools include chapter summaries, discussion questions, images and maps, a glossary, and case studies. The book's website provides recommended further resources including websites, books and films, organized by chapter. With individual chapters which can stand on their own and be assigned out of sequence, Buddhism in America is the ideal resource for courses on Buddhism in America, American Religious History, and Introduction to Buddhis

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472581938
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/08/2016
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Scott A. Mitchell is the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs and holds the Yoshitaka Tamai Professorial Chair at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, California, USA.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Figures
Introduction: convergence and divergence
Part One: Histories
1. A Very Short Introduction to Buddhism
2. Nineteenth Century Foundations
3. From Acculturation to the Counterculture
4. Diversity and Pluralism at the Century's End
Part Two: Traditions
5. Theravada Traditions
6. Mahayana Traditions
7. Vajrayana Traditions
8. Post-modern Horizons?
Part Three: Frames
9. Buddhist Medias: Art, Practice, and Representation
10. Buddhist Identities: Race, Gender, and Sexuality
11. Buddhist Engagements: Confronting Environmental and Social Suffering
12. Buddhist Modernities: US Buddhism in its Global Context
Glossary
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Mitchell has accomplished the herculean task of assembling the rich and multiple histories of Buddhism in America into one cohesive whole without neglecting any of the central strands that constitute its many forms. The text elucidates past and present Buddhist landscapes in the U.S. within their wider global context, and also tracks the dissemination of the tradition in secular spaces. It is essential reading for both students and researchers of Buddhism in the West.

Mitchell's introduction to Buddhism coherently articulates foundational Buddhist teachings and practices as they are embedded in their cultural contexts, and he takes students along a journey of tracing the networks of Buddhist traditions intersecting in America. With its clear writing, explanations of philosophical content, and significant pedagogical tools, Mitchell's text provides a useful device for students in diverse educational settings that will draw them into the localization of Buddhism(s) in its vast variety.

Unlike some textbooks, Buddhism in America offers both excellent content and a methodologically astute analysis. Despite the sophistication of the analytical methods, the book is written in clear language that most students are likely to understand. Undergraduates, graduate students, general readers, and non-specialists will all find the book engaging and informative.

From the Publisher