328. Buddhism and Development
This special study/tour takes students to Bhutan for three weeks to study Buddhism and development. Traditionally, Buddhism has emphasized development in the form of individual and collective "psycho-technologies" designed to transform affliction and confusion into enlightenment. In the case of Bhutan, (and for contemporary engaged Buddhism in particular), development also concerns implementing Buddhist paradigms from the top down by developing Buddhist social theory, in economic development, as well as in environmental and cultural conservation.
During this study/tour, students will examine development in Bhutan from the bottom up, through visits to monasteries, temples and sacred places, as well as from the top down, i.e., by exploring contemporary Bhutanese approaches to economic development, to environmental conservation and to the forces of globalization.
(Jeffrey R. Timm)