ISSN : 0023-3900
At first glance, it seems that the relation between the study of Korean Buddhism within Korea and outside it can be characterized by the metaphor of osmosis: while Korean research freely travels to other academic communities that cite, critique, or otherwise engage it, Western scholarship on Korean Buddhism rarely receives any mention in Korean scholarship. Differing research agendas, linguistic barriers, and cultural assumptions can be identified as stumbling blocks, together with incompatible terminology. However, looking at the bigger picture, it is unmistakable that research agendas are growing increasingly closer. This article will attempt to briefly chart the intertwined histories of academic research on Korean Buddhism in Korea and in the West, identify the hurdles to meaningful exchange in both directions, and formulate some strategies for closing the gaps that separate academic communities.
At first glance, it seems that the relation between the study of Korean Buddhism within Korea and outside it can be characterized by the metaphor of osmosis: while Korean research freely travels to other academic communities that cite, critique, or otherwise engage it, Western scholarship on Korean Buddhism rarely receives any mention in Korean scholarship. Differing research agendas, linguistic barriers, and cultural assumptions can be identified as stumbling blocks, together with incompatible terminology. However, looking at the bigger picture, it is unmistakable that research agendas are growing increasingly closer. This article will attempt to briefly chart the intertwined histories of academic research on Korean Buddhism in Korea and in the West, identify the hurdles to meaningful exchange in both directions, and formulate some strategies for closing the gaps that separate academic communities.