Habitus transformation through western Buddhism? A longitudinal study informed by practice theory

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Werner Vogd
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Sociological Theory
• Term: from 2012 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 227923531

In contrast to established Buddhist traditions, so-called western Buddhism is primarily transmitted in the context of a lay movement. It also encounters highly individualised and disparate societies with materialistic value systems which cannot readily be integrated in transcendental moral and cosmological horizons. While there have already been a number of investigations of the phenomenon of western Buddhism, very few have addressed the question of what people from developed western societies actually do when they make a long-term commitment to follow a Buddhist path and how they manage to reconcile this with a modern way of life. The proposed study will investigate six schools from German-speaking areas in terms of their institutionalisation and the specific forms of practice of their followers. In a multiple comparative analysis, the developmental dimension will be considered (novices, moderately and existentially committed followers, and also long-term practitioners) for three traditions (two schools each from Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism). In line with practice theory, behaviour patterns of the actors will be followed closely, in addition to the specific forms of institutionalisation of the teachings. In contrast to the usual self-stylisation of experiential spirituality, the Buddhist praxis of cognition is viewed as a communally- and societally-embedded phenomenon.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants