The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhism and Contemporary Society, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, will host the Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation Conference on “Buddhism and the Cold War” at UBC Vancouver’s Point Grey campus and via Zoom online.
Submission Deadline
Mar 10, 2025
Event Date
Jun 26-28, 2025
Location
UBC Vancouver & Online
Buddhism and the Cold War
The Cold War era, stretching from the end of World War II in the late 1940s to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, witnessed a massive realignment, both ideologically and geopolitically. The Cold War situation altered the configuration of academic institutions, affecting the study of Asia and of religions such as Buddhism. And Buddhists, Buddhist organizations, and scholars of Buddhism were and continue to be deeply affected by Cold War tensions, norms, and popular consciousness.
We encourage papers that explore Buddhism in relation to the Cold War centered on any geographical region, transnational flow, or from the perspective of any actor (individual, group, state, or other). Papers may explore themes such as:
– Political dimensions of Cold War-era Buddhism: how did government policies utilize Buddhism and, conversely, how did Buddhists and Buddhist organizations engage with state power?
– Transnational dimensions: how did Cold War politics, armed conflicts, etc., affect how Buddhists moved and communicated across national boundaries during this era?
– How did Buddhists navigate the ideological tensions between ‘capitalism’ and ‘communism’, ‘left’ and ‘right’ during this period? What attempts were made to apply Buddhist principles to the major conflicts of the time?
– How did Cold War norms affect the portrayal of Buddhism by scholars and others? In what ways did Buddhism become part of media and communications meant to sway and convince audiences to choose one side or the other?
– In what ways do the trends of that time continue to impact current conditions? What lessons can be learned from the ways that Buddhists engaged with / in Cold War politics? Can lessons from that time inform present-day actors?
Paper Proposal
Deadline:
Mar 10, 2025
How to submit a proposal:
We invite the submission of paper title, abstract (~150 words), and a brief bio (~100 words) to bcs.program@ubc.ca. We ask you to indicate your preferred forms of address and whether you would like to attend in person or online. Presenters will have approximately 20 minutes plus time for discussion and questions.
On behalf of the paper selection committee:
Jessica Main (University of British Columbia, Vancouver)
Justin Stein (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
David Geary (University of British Columbia, Okanagan)
Casey Collins (Columbia College and University of British Columbia, Vancouver)
Luke Clossey (Simon Fraser University)
Detailed Program
A detailed program and conference web page are forthcoming. Please check this site for updates.