Module
Title: SOCS
352 Buddhism and Social Theory
Programme:
Sociology
B.A.
Credit
Value: 12
General
Objectives:
This module is a 4th
year Honours seminar designed to help students to explore and make sense of the
relationship between Buddhist thought and Social Theory. This course will
explain the differences and similarities in philosophical ideas of Buddhism and
the sociological Theories. This module is designed to give students different
perspectives of looking at the society and understand it.
Learning
Outcomes:
By the end of the
course, students will be able to:
- Review the main
precepts of Buddhist philosophy and ethics.
- Explore how
Buddhism relates to Social Theory.
- Identify points
of coincidence and points of tension between these two intellectual
traditions.
- Contemplate how
a ‘socially engaged Buddhism’ is sociologically relevant.
- Entertain how
combining Buddhist and Social Theoretical perspectives enhances our
understanding of society and social change.
- Reflect
particularly on the necessity of utilizing multiple theoretical frames in
studying Bhutan from a sociological perspective.
- Incorporate
course material in their honours thesis.
Learning
and Teaching Approach:
This course will be
taught using a seminar format. In other words, students will play a central
role in the presentation and discussion of course material. Social Theory
lends itself to collective reflection, dialogue and debate. Therefore, class
discussion will have a principle role in this module. In fact, student-led
sessions, in which one student will make a comment on the readings and another
will lead class discussion will be the norm. Students will take turns at this
and each student will be a presenter and discussion leader at least once during
the semester. The lecturer will be responsible for organizing the schedule for
the semester and assigning dates to student presenters and discussants.
Students will be encouraged to use learning materials like tapes and video
clips to enhance their understanding of the particular topic.
Assessment:
Continuous Assessment: 60%
Midterm
Test: 15%
Leading
discussion: 10%
Presentation: 20%
Assignment: 15%
End of Session
Assessment: 40%
Final
Exam: 40%
Pre-requisite:
Students must have
successfully completed the three-year programme in Sociology and been admitted
to the Honours Programme in Sociology prior to enrolling in this module.
Subject
matter
- The problem:
asceticism and urban life, the
social elite
- Economic
conditions: Urbanization, urbanism and the development of large-scale
political structures
- Brahmins and
other competitors.
- Folk religion
and cosmology: meeting of two thought worlds
- Mediation: The
holy man, preparation of the monk for the mediatory role, evidence from
the Sutta Nipata, the Dhammapada and the images of the bhikkhu, the
mediating role as shown in the Canon, Exchange
Reading
List:
* To be decided by
the instructor.
Reference:
Badiner, A. H. (ed).
(2005). Dharma Gaia: A Harvest of Essays in Buddhism and Ecology.
Parallax Press.
Buddha on the Board
(blog). (2005). Towards Buddhist Social Theory. http://amidatrust.typepad.com/buddhaontheboard/2005/06/towards_buddhis.html
Chappell, D. W. (1999).
Buddhist Peacework: Creating Cultures of Peace. Wisdom.
Eppsteiner, F. (ed).
(1988). The Path of Compassion: Writings on Socially Engaged Buddhism.
Parallax Press.
Hattam, R. (2004). Awakening
Struggle: Towards Buddhist Critical Social Theory. Flaxton: Postpressed.
Jayatilleke, K.N. (2008).
Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge. Routledge.
Jones, K. (2003). The
New Social Face of Buddhism: A Call to Action. Boston: Wisdom
Publications.
Jones, K. (1995). Buddhism
and Social Action: An Exploration. Source: The Wheel Publication No.
285/286 (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1981). Transcribed from the print
edition in 1995 by Heath Row under the auspices of the DharmaNet Dharma Book
Transcription Project, with the kind permission of the Buddhist Publication
Society.
Kaza, S., & Kraft,
K. (eds.). (2000). Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist Environmentalism. Boston: Shambhala.
King, S. B. (2006). Being
Benevolence: The Social Ethics of Engaged Buddhism (Topics in Contemporary
Buddhism). University of Hawaii Press.
Loy, D. R. (2003). The
Great Awakening: A Buddhist Social Theory. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Malabika, M. (2005).
'Why Be Moral': Buddhism and Social Ethics. History Of Indian Science,
Philosophy and Culture, Vol. 6, No. 2, p. 147.
McLeod, M. (ed.). (2006).
Mindful Politics: A Buddhist Guide to Making the World a Better Place. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Books.
Moon, S. (2004). Not
Turning Away : The Practice of Engaged Buddhism. Boston: Shambhala
Publications.
Narain, A. K. & Ahir.
D. C. (2007). Dr. Ambedkar, Buddhism and Social Change. B.R. Publishing
Corporation.
Nhat Hanh, T. (2005).
Interbeing : Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism. Parallax Press.
Queen, C. S. (2000). Engaged
Buddhism in the West. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Queen, C. S. (1966). Engaged
Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia. State University
of New York Press.
Rothberg, D. (2006). Engaged
Buddhism: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World. Boston: Beacon Press.
Schumacher, E.F.
(1973). "Small is beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered,"
Blond & Briggs.
Sivaraksa, S. (2005).
Conflict, Culture, Change: Engaged Buddhism in a Globalizing World. Boston: Wisdom Publications.
Winston, D. (2006). Justify
Your Love: Finding Authority for Socially Engaged Buddhism Ways of Relating
Buddhist Tradition and Practice with Social Theory. Buddhist Peace
Fellowship: Berkeley.
Date: August 2008