Proposed Topics of Research on Malaysian Buddhism

Theme I: Social Research on Malaysian Buddhism

1. Impact of social change:

1. Urbanisation, mobility, nucleus family, and their impact on Malaysian Buddhism

2. Practice of worship or rituals at home – trend and challenges

3. Impact of values of contemporary civil society on Malaysian Buddhism.

4. Westernisations/modernisation and its impact on Malaysian Buddhism

1. Inter-religious relationship

   1. Causes/reasons for conversion in or out of Buddhism or traditional Chinese beliefs.

   2. Buddhist-Muslim civilizational interactions

   3. Perception of non-Buddhists on Buddhists.

   4. Causes/reasons for the spread of deviant Buddhist sects

   5. Inter-religious dialogues or interactions

2. Impact of public policies

   1. Impact of Islamisation on Buddhist movement

   2. Impact of government policies/laws on religious freedom

3. Impact of globalisation

   1. Impact of economic globalisation on Malaysian Buddhism

   2. Impact of cultural globalisation on Malaysian Buddhism

   3. Impact of Transnational Buddhist organisations on Malaysian Buddhism

   4. Global impact of Malaysian Buddhism.

   5. Impact of media messages on Malaysian Buddhism

4. Impact of Science and technology: 

   1. Ethical issues arising from stem cells, bio technology. 

   2. Ethical issues related to birth control, abortion, IVF.

   3. Widespread sensual enjoyment through modern gadgets and its impact on Malaysian Buddhism.

Theme II : Research on Malaysian Buddhist movement per se

1. Buddhist education

   1. Profile of children Dhamma classes (teacher, students, teaching aids and materials, facilities, support, etc)

   2. Study on Children Dhamma classes from various perspectives, eg from students response, drop out rate, teacher’s commitment, Buddhist society’s commitment, challenges, etc)

   3. Strategies to improve children Dhamma classes

   4. Effectiveness of Buddhist publications.

   5. A survey on the reading habits of Buddhists, a case example of  Buddhist Digest (Chinese)  or Voice of Buddhism, or Eastern Horizon.

   6. Strategies to attract youths, types and effectiveness of programme.

2. Leadership development:

   1. Types of leadership development programmes available, survey on qualities of leaders, areas of improvement required.

1. Organisational development

   1. Study the organisational structures, management of some Buddhist organisations.

2. Monks’ Education and Training

   1. Census on monks/nuns in Malaysia

   2. A survey on monks/nuns educational background/ training

3. Social Engagement

   1. Socially Engaged Buddhism in Malaysia

   2. Humanistic Buddhism in Malaysia

   3. Buddhist contribution on blood and organ donation

   4. Buddhist contribution on vegetarianism

   5. Buddhist contribution to nation building

   6. Buddhist response or contribution in palliative care

4. Dhamma propagation

   1. Impact of hymns in Dhamma propagation

   2. Modern technologies used in Dhamma propagation (U-tube, Video, Social media, etc, )

   3. Use of public media in Dhamma propagation.