Buddhism, Violence, and the State in Modern and Contemporary Asia (3 credits)
Course Syllabus Excerpt
- Wed 2:30-4:30 C.K. Choi Building
- Instructor: Jessica L. Main, jessica.main@ubc.ca, (604) 822-9305, C.K. Choi Building, Room 283
- Office hours: Mondays, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Course Description: Extreme tension exists between those who hold that Buddhists should leave politics to the politicians, and those who believe Buddhists must engage the world and become involved in its power structures. In the modern history of Asia, Buddhist groups have thought carefully about the functions of modern states: military service, violence, enforcement, social service, relief, and medical care. Some have participated in mainstream power politics, formed activist and interest groups, and become involved in nonviolent protest. One of the fault lines in this discussion of politics and state power, however, are those activities associated with violence and war. Some theorists advance the idea that Buddhists affiliated with state power and nationalism are more likely to participate in violence, while those on the margins are more likely to pursue non-violence. Students will evaluate and critique theories that tie violence to specific forms of Buddhism-state configurations. The class will also address Buddhism’s relation to modern historical movements and ideologies such as colonialism, postcolonialism, fascism, communism, the rise of Asian nationalisms, and religious terrorism. This course is made possible by the support of The Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation.
Coursepack and textbooks: Textbooks available for purchase online and coursepacks are available for purchase at the UBC Bookstore. You are welcome to purchase books from another source, so long as you acquire them in time to do the readings as assigned. Please bring a copy of the assigned reading to class on the day specified either hardcopy or on a laptop. Bibliographic information for selected course texts:
- Abeysekara, Ananda. “The Saffron Army, Violence, Terror(ism): Buddhism, Identity, and Difference in Sri Lanka.” Numen 48.1 (2001): 1–46.
- Obeyesekere, Gananath. “Buddhism, Nationhood, and Cultural Identity: A Question of Fundamentals.” Fundamentalisms Comprehended. University of Chicago Press, 1995. 231–256.
- Juergensmeyer, Mark. “Terror and God” 3-18. “Armageddon in a Tokyo Subway” 103-120. Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. University of California Press, 2003.
- Robinson, Richard H., Willard L. Johnson, and Thānissaro Bhikkhu. 2004. The Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction, Fifth Edition. Thomson/Wadsworth.
- Hall, John R. “Religion and Violence: Social Processes in Comparative Perspective.” Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
- Asad, Talal. “Religion, Nation-State, Secularism.” Nation and Religion: Perspectives on Europe and Asia. Ed. Peter van der Veer & Hartmut Lehmann. Princeton University Press, 1999. 178-196.
- Foucault, Michel, and Jeremy R. Carrette. “On Religion (1978).” Religion and Culture. Manchester University Press, 1999. 106-114.
- Jordt, Ingrid. “Introduction: The Question of Legitimacy” (1-14). “Sacred Giving and the Politics of Sincerity” (97-138). Burma’s Mass Lay Meditation Movement: Buddhism and the Cultural Construction of Power. Ohio University Press, 2007.
- Houtman, Gustaaf. “Introduction” (1-13). selections from Chapters 2, 3, and 5. “Appendix 1” (344-351). Mental Culture in Burmese Crisis Politics: Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy. Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, 1999.
- LeVine, Sarah, and David N. Gellner. “Introduction: The Origins of Modernist Buddhism” (1-23). Rebuilding Buddhism: The Theravada Movement in Twentieth-century Nepal. Harvard University Press, 2005.
- Lopez, Donald. “Introduction” (1-30). Hallisey, Charles. “Roads Taken and Not Taken in the Study of Theravāda Buddhism” (31-62). Lopez, Donald S., ed. Curators of the Buddha: The Study of Buddhism under Colonialism. University of Chicago Press, 1995.
- Jerryson, Michael. “Introduction” (3-16). Demiéville, Paul. “Buddhism and War” (17-58). Yu, Xue. “Buddhists in China during the Korean War (1951-1953)” (131-156). Jerryson, Michael. “Militarizing Buddhism: Violence in Southern Thailand” (179-210). Faure, Bernard. “Afterthoughts” (211-226). Buddhist Warfare. Ed. Michael Jerryson & Mark Juergensmeyer. Oxford University Press, 2010.
- Welch, Holmes. “Buddhism Under Mao. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1972.
- Harris, Ian Charles. Buddhism under Pol Pot. Documentation Centre of Cambodia, 2007.
Assessment and Grading: Your course work for the semester will be weighted as follows:
- Final essay /country report 35%
- Reading response journal 35%
- Class presentations 20%
- Class participation/preparation/effort 10%