Abstracts Category : Other

Building and Negotiating Religious Identities in A ZenBuddhistTemple: A Perspective of Buddhist Rhetoric

by Fan Zhang

This dissertation is an exploratory attempt atunderstanding the practices of a ZenBuddhist temple locates inNorthwest Ohio against the backdrop of globalization. Drawing onthe previous scholarship on Buddhist modernization andwesternization, my primary goal in this study is to betterunderstand the westernization of Buddhism and its adapted practicesand rituals in the host culture. Utilizing rhetorical criticism asmy methodology, I approach this temple as an embodiment of Buddhistrhetoric with both discursive and non-discursive expressions withinthe discourses of modernity. By analyzing rhetorical practices ofthe temple through abbotsteaching videos, the temple website,members dharma names, and the materiality of the temple space andartifacts, I examine how Buddhist rhetoric functioned to constituteand negotiate religious identities of the community members throughits various rituals and activities. At the same time, I explore howthe generative space and settings of the temple facilitated thecollective Buddhist identity formation and preservation. Through anuanced discussion of Buddhist rhetoric, this study illuminates anew rhetorical methodology to understand religiousidentityconstruction. Furthermore, this study offers furtherinsight into the future development of modern Buddhism, which isalso applicable to other major world religions.Advisors/Committee Members: Gonzlez, Alberto (Advisor).