Engaging for the Common Good
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This article takes stock of and comparatively analyzes the scope and motivations of civic activities of Buddhists and Buddhist organizations in Italy and Switzerland. Based on the analytical perspective of civic engagement, we suggest discerning civic activities on a continuum from nonengagement to activist engagement, distinguishing the four types of nonengagement, intermediary, shaper, and activist. Further, the article differentiates four social motivations and four Buddhist motivations for civic engagement. The scope of civic engagement appears to be much larger in Italy than in Switzerland. The article formulates six hypothetical explanations for the difference, arguing that national and cultural specifics, differences in the legal system regarding the governance of religions, and the composition of the Buddhist populations are crucial in understanding the dissimilar scope of Buddhist civic engagement in the two countries.
Source: Journal of Religion in Europe
Authors: Martin Baumann, Tiziano Bielli
Institution: University of Lucerne
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415134690