Gordon-Finlayson, A. (2012) “I’m not a Buddhist,” said the Buddhist: identity, religious change and religious orientation. Paper presented to: British Psychological Society Transpersonal Psychology Section 16th Annual Conference, Cober Hill, Scarborough, 28-30 Sept 2012. (Unpublished)
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Abstract:
The notion of “being Buddhist” is shown as problematic, even for very committed long-term practitioners within traditional Buddhist meditation lineages. Given this, it is not surprising that the process of “becoming Buddhist” is also not well understood. I set out the findings of my doctoral research into this problem, focusing on two aspects: Firstly, I outline the development of a comprehensive model of becoming Buddhist that includes both processual and contextual elements of identity change, and secondly I present a framework for being Buddhist based on Buddhists’ own identity statements. This model can help account for some of the complexities around who ‘counts’ as a Buddhist according to social taxonomers as well as shed some light on how Buddhists talk about identity, which has specific resonances and difficulties in Buddhist thought
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Buddhism, religious conversion, religious change, Western Buddhism, identity, psychology of religion
Subjects:
Creators:
Gordon-Finlayson, A.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for the Study of Anomalous Psychological Processes
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Research Centres > Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > School of Social Sciences (to 2016)
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Research Centres > Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences
Date:
September 2012
Date Type:
Presentation
Event Title:
British Psychological Society Transpersonal Psychology Section 16th Annual Conference
Event Dates:
28-30 Sept 2012
Event Location:
Cober Hill, Scarborough
Event Type:
Conference
Language:
English
Status:
Unpublished
Related URLs:
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