The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity: Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity : Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone. / Brox, Trine.

In: Numen, Vol. 68, No. 5-6, 2021, p. 540–566.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Brox, T 2021, 'The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity: Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone', Numen, vol. 68, no. 5-6, pp. 540–566. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685276-12341639

APA

Brox, T. (2021). The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity: Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone. Numen, 68(5-6), 540–566. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685276-12341639

Vancouver

Brox T. The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity: Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone. Numen. 2021;68(5-6):540–566. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685276-12341639

Author

Brox, Trine. / The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity : Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone. In: Numen. 2021 ; Vol. 68, No. 5-6. pp. 540–566.

Bibtex

@article{904bd3c2c20d46ffab3718c98951696b,
title = "The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity: Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone",
abstract = "This article investigates how the cultural politics of ethnoreligious belonging play out through everyday aesthetic practices at a market for Tibetan Buddhist objects in Chengdu, China – a multiethnic place that is perceived and experienced as “Tibetan” by the Tibetans and Chinese who work, live, and shop there. Based upon ethnographic research in Chengdu, I explore how Tibetan urbanites navigate the sensorially intense market, sorting its sights, sounds, and smells to determine who and what belongs as authentically Tibetan Buddhist. In the process, I argue, they are laying claim to an ability to feel the in/authentic acquired through being born and raised as a Tibetan. This practical ability is what I call an aesthetic habitus. Yet, many Tibetans fear this ability is being eroded; it is no longer clear who and what belongs, contributing to anxieties that Tibetans as a distinct ethnoreligious community will be extinguished.",
author = "Trine Brox",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1163/15685276-12341639",
language = "English",
volume = "68",
pages = "540–566",
journal = "Numen",
issn = "1568-5276",
publisher = "Brill",
number = "5-6",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Aesthetics of In/Authenticity

T2 - Buddhism, Commodification and Ethnoreligious Belonging in a Sino-Tibetan Contact Zone

AU - Brox, Trine

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - This article investigates how the cultural politics of ethnoreligious belonging play out through everyday aesthetic practices at a market for Tibetan Buddhist objects in Chengdu, China – a multiethnic place that is perceived and experienced as “Tibetan” by the Tibetans and Chinese who work, live, and shop there. Based upon ethnographic research in Chengdu, I explore how Tibetan urbanites navigate the sensorially intense market, sorting its sights, sounds, and smells to determine who and what belongs as authentically Tibetan Buddhist. In the process, I argue, they are laying claim to an ability to feel the in/authentic acquired through being born and raised as a Tibetan. This practical ability is what I call an aesthetic habitus. Yet, many Tibetans fear this ability is being eroded; it is no longer clear who and what belongs, contributing to anxieties that Tibetans as a distinct ethnoreligious community will be extinguished.

AB - This article investigates how the cultural politics of ethnoreligious belonging play out through everyday aesthetic practices at a market for Tibetan Buddhist objects in Chengdu, China – a multiethnic place that is perceived and experienced as “Tibetan” by the Tibetans and Chinese who work, live, and shop there. Based upon ethnographic research in Chengdu, I explore how Tibetan urbanites navigate the sensorially intense market, sorting its sights, sounds, and smells to determine who and what belongs as authentically Tibetan Buddhist. In the process, I argue, they are laying claim to an ability to feel the in/authentic acquired through being born and raised as a Tibetan. This practical ability is what I call an aesthetic habitus. Yet, many Tibetans fear this ability is being eroded; it is no longer clear who and what belongs, contributing to anxieties that Tibetans as a distinct ethnoreligious community will be extinguished.

U2 - 10.1163/15685276-12341639

DO - 10.1163/15685276-12341639

M3 - Journal article

VL - 68

SP - 540

EP - 566

JO - Numen

JF - Numen

SN - 1568-5276

IS - 5-6

ER -

ID: 280555589