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American Engaged Buddhism and new social movement theory

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Date Issued:
2001
Summary:
In this thesis, I document the existence of the American Engaged Buddhist (AEB) social movement by describing its history, organizations, and actions. Then, I utilize AEB's example to address unresolved debates within NSM theory, including wherein newness is to be found, whether NSMs are reactive and/or progressive, the non-economic basis of group solidarity, and the emphasis on cultural rather than political change. I place considerable focus on the creation and maintenance of the bodhisattva identity and the cohesiveness of the sangha (religious community). Through a qualitative case study, I find that the movement is organized around religious beliefs rather than the economic or structural class of the participants. AEB participants present as culturally motivated and show both progressive and reactive collective behavior. The basis of the movement's solidarity, plus its technologically savvy forms of communications and global networking, lend it a distinct air of newness apart from traditional social movements.
Title: American Engaged Buddhism and new social movement theory.
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Name(s): Martin, Mariah Magdalene.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Christiansen, Lars, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2001
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 44 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: In this thesis, I document the existence of the American Engaged Buddhist (AEB) social movement by describing its history, organizations, and actions. Then, I utilize AEB's example to address unresolved debates within NSM theory, including wherein newness is to be found, whether NSMs are reactive and/or progressive, the non-economic basis of group solidarity, and the emphasis on cultural rather than political change. I place considerable focus on the creation and maintenance of the bodhisattva identity and the cohesiveness of the sangha (religious community). Through a qualitative case study, I find that the movement is organized around religious beliefs rather than the economic or structural class of the participants. AEB participants present as culturally motivated and show both progressive and reactive collective behavior. The basis of the movement's solidarity, plus its technologically savvy forms of communications and global networking, lend it a distinct air of newness apart from traditional social movements.
Identifier: 9780493218373 (isbn), 12795 (digitool), FADT12795 (IID), fau:9671 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2001.
Subject(s): Buddhism--Social aspects--United States--History
Religious life--Buddhism
Social movements
Bodhisattvas
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12795
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.