Who Owns Buddhist Studies?

Abstract

This review of Jørn Borup’s Decolonizing the Study of Religion: Who Owns Buddhism? (2023) focuses on how the book explores the representation of Buddhism within Western and Japanese Buddhology. Borup reflects on these traditions through the broader lens of decolonization, a methodological shift in religious studies and the humanities over the past fifty years. The reviewer notes that much of the book synthesizes existing ideas and quotes extensively from other scholars rather than presenting original arguments. Borup highlights how academic decolonization seeks to integrate non-Western knowledge into mainstream discourse while critiquing Eurocentrism and the dominance of white male scholars. He emphasizes the vulnerability of secular religious studies, rooted in Enlightenment ideals, to this new wave of decolonial criticism. The reviewer also underscores Borup’s focus on critical distinctions in religious studies, including his analysis of “Critical Religion” versus “Critical Studies of Religion,” and his discussion on the authenticity of Buddhism, cultural appropriation, and the unique characteristics of Buddhological research in Japan. Ultimately, Borup’s work contributes to the ongoing conversation about decolonizing the field of Buddhology.