INTS 382 : Political Buddhism

This course seeks to unravel the Janus-faced nature of Political Buddhism. It provides a multidisciplinary glimpse into the ways that Buddhism manifests itself politically around the world. Part One looks to the faith – the beliefs, scripture and organization of Buddhism. Part Two looks to the rise of Buddhist politics in the post-colonial world. Part Three, the heart of the course, looks at key themes in Political Buddhism, such as democracy, war, gender, and other political issues. This course is more about the intersections between faith and politics more than it is about the faith in and of itself. Students are expected to overcome images of Buddhism as monolithic and as necessarily peaceful, even if it does contain a great wealth of peaceful, non-violent teachings. Buddhism is a living religion, one struggling with the same social issues facing all world faiths.