Inside the Politics of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Beyond cover art

Inside the Politics of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Beyond

Inside the Politics of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Beyond

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

How do Buddhist monks impact politics across South and Southeast Asia? Buddhist nationalist movements have fueled democratic backsliding in places like Myanmar. Yet monks were among the pro-democracy protesters in Sri Lanka in 2022, setting the stage for that country's surprising 2024 elections. Other monastics may limit their political activities, for diverse reasons. Prof. Benjamin Schonthal (University of Otago) joins the pod to discuss how his work on "sangha capture" and legal pluralism can help make sense of the diverse roles of Buddhist clergy in the region's politics.

For more information on Prof. Schonthal's publications, see: https://otago.academia.edu/BenSchonthal

For our deep dive on the 2024 Sri Lanka presidential election, listen to: https://rss.com/podcasts/cadpodcast/1685690
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.