American Dharma: Buddhism Beyond Modernity

Jack Petranker interviews Ann Gleig for the New Books Network. With Buddhism entering the mainstream of American society, it inevitably encounters the cultural and social forces that make ours a postmodern society. Ann Gleig’s new book traces out the multifaceted ways in which Buddhism is engaging and adapting to this new world. After tracing the rise of Buddhist modernism, both in Asia and in this country, American Dharma examines how Buddhist practitioners and communities are exploring the Dharma in new ways. Separate chapters cover the rise of secular mindfulness and the backlash it has provoked, the interplay of Dharma and psychotherapy in light of the sexual scandals that have upended many communities, the Buddhist response to issues of racism, social justice and inclusivity, techno-Buddhism, and the shift from Boomer Buddhism to NextGen Buddhism.