Howard E. Woodin ES Colloquium Series

“Buddhism and Agriculture: Environmental and Religious Practice and Resilience in Northern Thailand” by Susan M. Darlington, Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies, Hampshire College.

Farmers in Northern Thailand face severe environmental and economic problems due to both rapid development and climate change, leading to growing debt and environmental degradation. While these are seemingly secular issues, Buddhist monks have responded along with non-governmental organizations, scholars, and government programs. What is the role of Buddhism in this process? This talk examines the efforts of two Northern Thai monks and the challenges involved in socially engaged environmental activism from a Buddhist perspective.

Sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology