Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Buddhist Ritual

This bonus-length roundtable episode brings scholars of various disciplines and ranks together to discuss their experiences in the study of Buddhist ritual. Working in areas of art history, Buddhist Studies, anthropology, and cultural studies, the panelists shed light on some of the challenges and promises of working within and across disciplines. Topics range from “ritual” as a critical scholarly term, interdisciplinary contributions to the field of ritual studies, issues of ritual change, and current challenges (and benefits) to international and interdisciplinary work during the current global health crisis. Overall, this conversation reveals the complex interplay between research demands, institutional support, field-wide assumptions, and technological challenges that shape the way scholarship on ritual is produced. Listen now for a glimpse of how interdisciplinary approaches can help widen the scope of academic work in each of these areas and improve the way scholars approach the study of Buddhist rituals.