New Publication: Buddhist Networks in East Asia

Just days ago, the latest volume of the "Dynamics in the History of Religions" (Brill) was published under the title "Buddhist Encounters and Identities Across East Asia". Edited by Ann Heirman, Carmen Meinert (CERES professor, principal investigator of BuddhistRoad, and member of the Käte Hamburger Kolleg Bochum), and Christoph Anderl, volume 10 in the series collects articles, which focus on the whole range of encounters, networks and identities that has formed Buddhism in East Asia since.

The history of Buddhism is formed by encounters, networks, identities and diversity. These key concepts are focused by the articles collected in this volume from different perspectives: While long-distance networks allowed Buddhist ideas to travel to all parts of East Asia, it was through local and trans-local networks and encounters, and a diversity of people and societies, that identities were made and negotiated. This book undertakes a detailed examination of discrete Buddhist identities rooted in unique cultural practices, beliefs and indigenous socio-political conditions. Moreover, it presents a fascinating picture of the intricacies of the regional and cross-regional networks that connected South and East Asia.

The series "Dynamics in the History of Religions" is edited by Volkhard Krech and Licia Di Giacinto, both Käte Hamburger Kolleg, Bochum. It focuses on the crucial role of mutual encounters in the origins, development, and internal differentiation of the major religious traditions. The primary thesis of the series consists in the assumption that interconnections of self-perception and perception by the other, of adaptation and demarcation are crucial factors for historical dynamics within the religious field.

Bibliographical Information:

Buddhist Encounters and Identities Across East Asia, ed. by Ann Heirman, Carmen Meinert, and Christoph Anderl, in: Dynamics in the History of Religions, Brill, 2018 - ISBN: 978-90-04-36615-2

Contributors are: Christoph Anderl, Claudine Bautze-Picron, Megan Bryson, Max Deeg, Bart Dessein, Ann Heirman, Kaiqi Hua, Bryan Levman, Pei-ying Lin, Rob Linrothe, Carmen Meinert, Tansen Sen, Henrik H. Sørensen, Steven Trenson, and Sem Vermeersch