| ID | 139665 |
| Title Proper | Monkish politics in southeast asia |
| Other Title Information | religious disenfranchisement in comparative and theoretical perspective |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Larsson, Tomas |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In the Theravāda Buddhist polities on the mainland of Southeast Asia, abiding concerns about the proper structuring of the relationship between the ‘two wheels of dhamma’ (i.e. the realm of religion and the realm of politics) have had a profound influence on processes of state formation and political legitimation. This article explores one such religious ‘effect’ on the constitutions and electoral laws of modern Burma/Myanmar, Siam/Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, namely the official disenfranchisement of Buddhist monks (and, in some instances, Buddhist ‘nuns’ as well as non-Buddhist clergy). The article traces the historical evolution of this Buddhist exception to the democratic principle of equal and universal suffrage, and assesses the extent to which dominant theoretical approaches in the social sciences help us to understand the politics of religious disenfranchisement in Southeast Asia. It finds that neither secularization theory nor the religious-economy approach can explain observed patterns. Instead, the article offers an account of the politics of religious disenfranchisement that emphasizes the role of ideas and historical context. |
| `In' analytical Note | Modern Asian Studies Vol. 49, No.1; Jan 2015: p.40-82 |
| Journal Source | Modern Asian Studies Vol: 49 No 1 |
| Key Words | Southeast Asia ; Laos ; Cambodia ; Comparative ; Dhamma ; Burma/Myanmar ; Monkish Politics ; Religious Disenfranchisement ; Theoretical Perspective ; Buddhist Polities ; Political Legitimation ; Siam/Thailand ; Buddhist Monks ; Democratic Principle ; Religious – Economy |