Reviving Buddhism in Western India : Pluralism and Cultural Hybridization in the Ambedkarite Buddhist Movement(s)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Religio: A Journal for the Study of Religions |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://digilib.phil.muni.cz/en/handle/11222.digilib/digilib.83224 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.5817/Rel2025-41628 |
| Keywords | cultural hybridity; Ambedkarite Buddhism; anti-caste movements; activism; postcolonialism; Maharashtra |
| Description | This article explores the contemporary forms and internal diversity of Ambedkarite Buddhism, tracing its origins to B. R. Ambedkar's mass conversion movement in 1956. Based on field research conducted in Maharashtra and analysis of both primary and secondary sources, it examines how Ambedkarite Buddhism, as understood by many of its followers today, has been shaped by ongoing — and often competing — processes of legitimization, cultural bricolage, and hybridization. These dynamics inform debates over authenticity, reinterpretations of Buddhist symbols and practices, and the negotiation of collective identities and their boundaries. The article argues that while these processes have produced a wide spectrum of cultural forms — reflecting tensions between personal spiritual reform and collective social transformation — they have also contributed to the adaptability of Ambedkarite Buddhism within both local and global contexts. |
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