Call for papers: Buddhist, Spiritual, Esoteric and Ecological Movements in the 21st Century: A Dynamic Legacy
This 2-day conference will explore the ways that Buddhist modernism and the spiritual movements of the fin de siècle (as exemplified by the Theosophical Society), both reacting to and enacting the dynamics of colonialism, continue to transform spiritual and ecological movements within and beyond the 21st century.
Call for papers
Deadline for abstracts: 1 February 2023
We invite papers that explore questions such as:
- How are the legacies of Buddhist modernism and esoteric movements still active in modern environmentalist discourse?
- In what ways are the kinds of dualisms or oppositions active within the ideas of the fin de siècle, such as spiritualism/materialism and evolution/reversion, embedded within or resisted by contemporary environmental movements?
- How have Buddhism and spiritual movements been influenced by changing ecological conditions and understandings of the planet? By such phenomena as biodiversity loss, pollution, and the climate crisis?
- Could a critical return to esoteric source materials from the fin de siècle provide fresh understandings or insights into the current ecological crises?