Of Alchemy and Authenticity:Teaching About Daoism Today
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Authors
Miller, James
Siegler, Elijah
Date
2007
Type
journal article
Language
en
Keyword
Pedagogy , Daoism , Taoism , Religion
Alternative Title
Abstract
The authors discuss the complexities and responsibilities of teaching about Daoism in contemporary North American colleges and universities. Expanding and revising the findings of Kirkland (1998), they argue that enough has changed in educational and cultural contexts to warrant new strategies for teaching about Daoism. Textbooks are now available that offer more accurate and responsible presentations of Daoist history, and this enables a richer appreciation of Daoist culture and religion, and its significance within broader areas of Chinese culture such as art, politics, and
science. On the other hand, students have a far greater possibility of interacting outside the classroom with North Americans of Chinese and European background who claim affiliation to the Daoist tradition especially through techniques of moving meditation such as Qigong and internal alchemy. This situation poses challenges in the classroom concerning claims of authenticity, tradition, and representation. Rather than shying away from these contemporary North American cultural forms, the authors argue that the skilled teacher can use these interactions to facilitate a deeper inquiry
into questions of authenticity and tradition. Moreover, the authors discuss the use of an interactive website designed specifically to assist in reflecting on these issues in the classroom.
Description
Citation
Teaching Theology and Religion, ISSN 1368-4868, 2007, vol. 10 no. 2, pp 101–108.
Publisher
Teaching Theology and Religion
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
URI for this record
PubMed ID
External DOI
ISSN
1368-4868