Buddhism in America : Global Religion, Local Contexts

Buddhism in America provides the most comprehensive and up to date survey of the diverse landscape of US Buddhist traditions, their history and development, and current methodological trends in the study of Buddhism in the West, located within the translocal flow of global Buddhist culture.

Divided into three parts (Histories; Traditions; Frames), this introduction traces Buddhism's history and encounter with North American culture, charts the landscape of US Buddhist communities, and engages current methodological and theoretical developments in the field.

The volume includes:

- A short introduction to Buddhism
- A historical survey from the 19th century to the present
- Coverage of contemporary US Buddhist communities, including Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana

Theoretical and methodological issues and debates covered include:

- Social, political and environmental engagement
- Race, feminist, and queer theories of Buddhism
- Secular Buddhism, digital Buddhism, and modernity
- Popular culture, media, and the arts

Pedagogical tools include chapter summaries, discussion questions, images and maps, a glossary, and case studies. The book's website provides recommended further resources including websites, books and films, organized by chapter. With individual chapters which can stand on their own and be assigned out of sequence, Buddhism in America is the ideal resource for courses on Buddhism in America, American Religious History, and Introduction to Buddhism.

"The study of Buddhism in America draws from so many cultural, geographic, historical, and sectarian traditions that it can easily become unwieldy and its subjects flattened into two-dimensional characters, yet Mitchell’s expert presentation remains accessible, engaging, and in touch with living traditions and their adherents. This volume, the first textbook of its kind on the subject, is sure to become a classic in the emerging field of Buddhism in the West. Students will benefit from Mitchell’s depth and breadth of coverage while being guided toward a deeper engagement with the material. I will certainly be using this textbook in my courses." - Natalie Quli, Research Fellow in Theravada Studies, Institute of Buddhist Studies, USA

"It is sometimes noted that in the history of the Buddhist tradition, the case of Buddhism in America provides a historically unique situation in which the various Buddhist traditions of the world may now interact with one another. The rich diversity of this fascinating environment, however, makes its study all the more challenging. In Buddhism in America: Global Religion, Local, Mitchell covers an impressive range of Buddhist traditions, concepts, and practices in the United States, thus making it possibly the best resource available, for undergraduate teaching or graduate student examination preparation, in the area of American Buddhist studies. Moreover, I think that this book will become the first stop for those scholars (such as myself) who work on premodern Asian Buddhist traditions, but who are interested in working on topics related to Asian religions in the US." - Aaron P. Proffitt, Assistant Professor Japanese Studies, Statue University of New York at Albany, USA

"Mitchell’s introduction to Buddhism coherently articulates foundational Buddhist teachings and practices as they are embedded in their cultural contexts, and he takes students along a journey of tracing the networks of Buddhist traditions intersecting in America. With its clear writing, explanations of philosophical content, and significant pedagogical tools, Mitchell’s text provides a useful device for students in diverse educational settings that will draw them into the localization of Buddhism(s) in its vast variety." - Courtney Bruntz, Assistant Professor of Asian Religions and Director of Asian Studies, Doane University, USA

"Mitchell has accomplished the herculean task of assembling the rich and multiple histories of Buddhism in America into one cohesive whole without neglecting any of the central strands that constitute its many forms. The text elucidates past and present Buddhist landscapes in the U.S. within their wider global context, and also tracks the dissemination of the tradition in secular spaces. It is essential reading for both students and researchers of Buddhism in the West." - Ann Gleig, Editor for Religious Studies Review and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, University of Central Florida, USA