2007 Southwest/Texas Popular Culture and American Culture Association Conference

The Dalai Lama is the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the spiritual leader of the Tibetan form of Buddhism. He is also a literary phenomenon in the United States. What is the relationship between traditional Buddhist literary production, philosophy, and practice, and capitalism? In some ways might Buddhism itself be a “bestseller” in America, a product for consumption—and if so, what is being disseminated through this transaction, and how? What is lost or gained in the transaction or the translation? And how does Buddha Dharma function as a set of moving parts in the machine of American popular culture, economics, race, or gender?

This panel will inquire into the genealogies of American Buddhisms, assuming multiplicity, and examining the construction of traditions and identities in the context of the prevailing capitalist regime, and the role of Buddhist practices in the American family, workplace, therapist’s office, retreat center, urban Dharma center—and social and political action.

Direct a 100-word abstract (attachments in MS Word are acceptable), or your inquiries, to Daniel Gustav Anderson at andersdg@uidaho.edu, or:
Daniel Anderson
Department of English
University of Idaho
P.O. Box 441102
Moscow, ID 83844-1102

<>b>Abstracts are due 31 October 2006.

The conference will take place February 7-10, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. For further information, see: http://www.h-net.org/~swpca/