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“Wenn es nur einmal so ganz stille wäre...” On Doing History of Religions, China, and Buddhism Today

Guggenmos, Esther Maria LU orcid (2024) In Svensk teologisk kvartalskrift 100(3). p.251-269
Abstract

This article is a revised version of the inaugural lecture delivered on 5 October2023, on the occasion of the author's appointment as Professor of History of Religions at Lund University. It opens by depicting fundamental changes in the study of the history of religions in the twentieth century, followed by biographical notes, including her research on lay Buddhism in urban Taiwan, the emphasis on sensual dimensions of religious practice and the aesthetics of religion, and international academic networking in the analysis of practices of prognostication between Asia and Europe. Three areas are outlined that are central to the author's current research. It is pointed out that a focus on religion in contemporary society certainly includes... (More)

This article is a revised version of the inaugural lecture delivered on 5 October2023, on the occasion of the author's appointment as Professor of History of Religions at Lund University. It opens by depicting fundamental changes in the study of the history of religions in the twentieth century, followed by biographical notes, including her research on lay Buddhism in urban Taiwan, the emphasis on sensual dimensions of religious practice and the aesthetics of religion, and international academic networking in the analysis of practices of prognostication between Asia and Europe. Three areas are outlined that are central to the author's current research. It is pointed out that a focus on religion in contemporary society certainly includes a healthy awareness of current developments in the politics of religion, particularly in East Asia. In addition, the article addresses two fields of research that the author is currently engaged in: (1) The emergence of "Life Education" as a school subject in Greater China and the pedagogical shift that goes along with it. Particularly in Taiwan, this new subject is tailored to create a space for juveniles to develop self-reflection and life orientation in a success-oriented society while a new trust in religious organizations leads to the organizations' active engagement in these developments. The author is especially interested in how the transforming relationship between religion and public education gains special relevance in a comparative perspective between Asia and Europe. (2) Religious change in East Asia is evident in Buddhist ritual practices that are impacted by a consumer society that moulds emotionally profound experiences into marketable and distinct units that Eva Illouz has termed "emodities". Religious practices are subject to change in our contemporary world as they are reshaped by a growing global digitalized consumer culture. Tracing these changes leads to a deeper understanding of the underlying forces that distinctly reshape contemporary religious life.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Svensk teologisk kvartalskrift
volume
100
issue
3
pages
19 pages
publisher
Svensk teologisk kvartalsskrift
external identifiers
  • scopus:85207882398
ISSN
0039-6761
DOI
10.51619/stk.v100i3.26537
language
German
LU publication?
yes
id
8d58efe3-279a-46e2-9daf-5336f1dc4cd9
date added to LUP
2024-12-11 09:27:34
date last changed
2025-07-10 02:28:11
@article{8d58efe3-279a-46e2-9daf-5336f1dc4cd9,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article is a revised version of the inaugural lecture delivered on 5 October2023, on the occasion of the author's appointment as Professor of History of Religions at Lund University. It opens by depicting fundamental changes in the study of the history of religions in the twentieth century, followed by biographical notes, including her research on lay Buddhism in urban Taiwan, the emphasis on sensual dimensions of religious practice and the aesthetics of religion, and international academic networking in the analysis of practices of prognostication between Asia and Europe. Three areas are outlined that are central to the author's current research. It is pointed out that a focus on religion in contemporary society certainly includes a healthy awareness of current developments in the politics of religion, particularly in East Asia. In addition, the article addresses two fields of research that the author is currently engaged in: (1) The emergence of "Life Education" as a school subject in Greater China and the pedagogical shift that goes along with it. Particularly in Taiwan, this new subject is tailored to create a space for juveniles to develop self-reflection and life orientation in a success-oriented society while a new trust in religious organizations leads to the organizations' active engagement in these developments. The author is especially interested in how the transforming relationship between religion and public education gains special relevance in a comparative perspective between Asia and Europe. (2) Religious change in East Asia is evident in Buddhist ritual practices that are impacted by a consumer society that moulds emotionally profound experiences into marketable and distinct units that Eva Illouz has termed "emodities". Religious practices are subject to change in our contemporary world as they are reshaped by a growing global digitalized consumer culture. Tracing these changes leads to a deeper understanding of the underlying forces that distinctly reshape contemporary religious life.</p>}},
  author       = {{Guggenmos, Esther Maria}},
  issn         = {{0039-6761}},
  language     = {{ger}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{251--269}},
  publisher    = {{Svensk teologisk kvartalsskrift}},
  series       = {{Svensk teologisk kvartalskrift}},
  title        = {{“Wenn es nur einmal so ganz stille wäre...” On Doing History of Religions, China, and Buddhism Today}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.51619/stk.v100i3.26537}},
  doi          = {{10.51619/stk.v100i3.26537}},
  volume       = {{100}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}