Inside the Politics of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Beyond

How do Buddhist monks impact politics across South and Southeast Asia? Buddhist nationalist movements have fueled democratic backsliding in places like Myanmar. Yet monks were among the pro-democracy protesters in Sri Lanka in 2022, setting the stage for that country's surprising 2024 elections. Other monastics may limit their political activities, for diverse reasons. Prof. Benjamin Schonthal (University of Otago) joins the pod to discuss how his work on "sangha capture" and legal pluralism can help make sense of the diverse roles of Buddhist clergy in the region's politics.

For more information on Prof. Schonthal's publications, see: https://otago.academia.edu/BenSchonthal

For our deep dive on the 2024 Sri ...