[Buddha-l] New AAR Group

[Richard P. Hayes]

Although it is usually considered very bad manners to forward a posting
from one group to another, I thought this announcement on h-buddhism
might be of interest to some folks on buddha-l, so I sought and obtained
their permission to forward it here.

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: H-Buddhism <h-buddhism at JJ.EM-NET.NE.JP>
Reply-To: h-buddhism at H-NET.MSU.EDU
To: H-BUDDHISM at H-NET.MSU.EDU
Subject: [H-BUDDHISM] ANNOUNCEMENT> New AAR Group (Jackson)
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 18:06:08 +0900
From: Roger Jackson <rjackson at carleton.edu>
Subject: New AAR Group
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 10:10:09 -0500

Dear Colleagues,

I'm pleased to announce that the American Academy of Religion has approved
a new group, starting in 2006, "Buddhist Critical-Constructive Reflection."
A description of the rationale for the group, a list of the initial
steering committee, and the text of our proposed call for papers is found
below. We hope many of you will be interested in submitting papers to and
attending sessions of our group.

For the steering committee,

Roger Jackson

Department of Religion
Carleton College
Northfield, MN 55057

O: 507-646-4226
H: 507-645-4780
Fax: 507-646-4223
email: rjackson at carleton.edu

**********

New AAR Group:
"Buddhist Critical-Constructive Reflection"


Rationale:

Contemporary Buddhist critical-constructive reflection is still very much
emerging, but as part of an initial working definition, we could say it has
the following purposes: (1) to critically analyze and make normative and
other arguments regarding Buddhist thought and practice in light of
contemporary disciplines and systematic understanding, (2) to suggest the
relevance of the academic study of Buddhism to living Buddhist traditions
and social and contemplative communities as they adapt to the modern world,
and (3) to draw on the historical and systematic study of Buddhism to help
inform applications of Buddhist knowledge to a variety of needs and
problems of contemporary societies, such as in philosophy, psychology,
ethics, therapy, social service, contemplative studies,  the arts,
education, medicine, care for the dying.

Such work is of potential importance to three broad groups: scholars of
religion and theology, Buddhist communities East and West, and contemporary
societies that take increasing interest in applying Buddhist knowledge and
practice to meet contemporary problems.

Benefits:

We envision a number of specific benefits, inside and beyond the academy,
entailed by the establishment of the group on Buddhist
Critical-Constructive Reflection.

1) One major problem in the study of Buddhism has been the lack of
communication between the type of education and scholarship that takes
place in modern Western secular universities and traditional Buddhist
studies found in monasteries, Buddhist universities and dharma centers East
and West. One of the mandates of the Buddhist Critical-Constructive
Reflection group is to serve as a bridge between these various communities
for mutual learning.

As regards scholarship, modern Buddhist studies has shied away from
exploring the relevance of its scholarly findings to Buddhist traditions as
these struggle to adapt to the modern world. How, for example, can the
academic study of religion serve as a resource for Buddhist communities
East and West as they continue to change and adapt to the modern world?
This type of question, which has hitherto been largely unexplored in an
academic setting, is one that we see as central to the group.

2) Conversely, the group will encourage new forms of research into the
contributions that Buddhist texts/thinkers/practices might make toward
addressing contemporary problems in religion, culture and social issues
(including ethical ones). Here the goal is to encourage a view of the
Buddhist tradition as something that one can "not only think of, but also
think with," as Bernard Faure has recently put it.

3) One of our goals is to lay the groundwork for dialogue with the
scholarly theological communities of other religious traditions: Christian,
Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Confucian, and others.

Following is a list of steering committee members.

Steering Committee:

José Cabezón (University of California at Santa Barbara)
Roger Jackson (co-chair; Carleton College)
Anne Klein (Rice University)
John Makransky (co-chair; Boston College)
Richard Payne (Institute of Buddhist Studies)
Judith Simmer-Brown (Naropa University)


This new group will sponsor one panel of papers to be presented annually at
the AAR national meeting (two if co-sponsoring).

Our 'call for papers' for 2006 will come with the AAR 'call for papers'
following the 2005 November meeting in Philadelphia. The content will be as
follows:


Call for Papers for November 2006 AAR annual meeting:

The Buddhist Critical-Constructive Reflection Group seeks proposals for
papers or panels from scholars doing critical-constructive work grounded in
any Buddhist tradition. Papers may, for example, critically examine
classical doctrinal issues to make a normative argument (how some aspect of
Buddhism should be understood or practiced in our time).  Or they may
utilize Buddhist thought to critically illumine contemporary social,
educational, or ethical concerns.   Or they may use contemporary critical
methods to shine new light upon some aspect of Buddhist thought or
practice. Or  they may analyze the thought of a major figure in
contemporary Buddhist critical-constructive reflection. Potential
presenters are invited to submit paper proposals under the following
rubrics, or others of their own choosing:

(1) Ways in which modern knowledge about or perspectives upon Buddhist
thought, history, or culture can beneficially inform Buddhist understanding
or practice in its ongoing adaptation to the modern world, (2) Ways in
which Buddhist knowledge is being or may be applied to a modern
intellectual or social problem or issue, e.g., in contemporary philosophy,
psychology, ethics, healing, contemplative studies, care for the dying,
therapy, social service, the arts, education, etc., (3) Issues in the
development of a Buddhist systematic theology, (4) The problem of
delimiting and establishing authority: Who properly speaks for a tradition?
(5) Forms of Buddhist community, and their doctrinal and social
justifications, (6) Buddhist reflection on Buddhist education: classical
and contemporary, (7) Buddhism, race and ethnicity.