North American Buddhists in social context

About the Author Paul David Numrich, Ph.D. (1992) in Religion, Northwestern University, is Chair of the Program in World Religions and Inter-Religious Dialogue, Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, and Affiliate Research Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Loyola University Chicago. Product Description The first multi-author collection of social scientific scholarship on North American Buddhists, this volume examines the current state of research and key aspects of Buddhist life and experience in social context. Case studies feature Southeast Asian, Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean, meditation-oriented, and socially engaged Buddhists. From the Back Cover This volume marks an important milestone in the growing literature on North American Buddhistsa "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.