Gastvortrag Decolonising the Study of Religion: Who owns Buddhism?

Why is my curriculum white? Can outsiders understand insiders’ lived experiences, and should they? Who owns Buddhism? Who has the rights to interpret “religion”? Decolonisation in recent years has been an imperative with which to undo colonial effects by reform and social activism. In conjunction with the forces of social movements and ideals for diversity, equality, and inclusion, decolonial agendas have made their way into academia. In the humanities, in particular, they have gained impact to the extent that a “decolonial turn” has become a term used to signify the revision of the very foundations of knowledge production, claiming western universalism to be based on privileged power configurations originating in coloniality. This presentation contextualises the contours and challenges of a “decolonial turn” in the study of religion (and Buddhism), critically discussing its relevance and risks.