Download or read book North American Buddhists in Social Context written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2008-06-30 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume marks an important milestone in the growing literature on North American Buddhists—the first multi-author collection of social scientific scholarship on the topic. Chapters examine the current state of research and key aspects of Buddhist life and experience in social context, including group identity and status, religious practices, organizational structures, generational dynamics, relations with non-Buddhist groups and the larger society, and migratory and adaptive processes. Case studies feature Southeast Asian, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean, meditation-oriented, and socially engaged Buddhists. For social scientists, this volume provides a convenient overview of scholarship heretofore available only piecemeal. All readers will discover how social scientific perspectives and approaches helpfully inform the study of North American Buddhists.