Abstract
Asian Buddhist identities in Toronto are based on a proliferation of interconnected criteria ranging from shared language, culture, ethnicity, and notions of homeland to distinct doctrinal interpretations and practices. Each identity referent is given a wide variety of meanings and interpretations according to the social context, structures of power and inequality, and relevance of, or ability to, articulate collective self-definition and action. The authors of this article contend that the degree to which Asian Buddhists in Toronto can effectively use the politics of representation depends on the degree of social capital in their communities and/or with individuals associated with, or acting on behalf of, an identifiable group. A specific example of identity politics is examined in the case of the Lao refugees as they faced opposition to their establishing a temple. Local land-use disputes or neighbourhood tensions over places of worship reveal the importance of social capital for effective identity representation to counter negative stereotypes toward religious and racial minorities. The Lao example illustrates how ideal notions of pluralism and multiculturalism advocated by Canadian social policy are not necessarily equated in practice with diversity and acceptance of the other.
Résumé
À Toronto, l’identité asiatique bouddhiste est fondée sur une multiplicité de critères interreliés allant d’une langue, d’une culture, d’une ethnicité et de notions de patrie communes à des interprétations et des pratiques doctrinales distinctes. Chaque référent d’identité contient toute une gamme de significations et d’interprétations selon le contexte social, les structures du pouvoir, les inégalités et la pertinence ou la capacité d’élaborer une définition et une action colletives. Nous démontrons, dans ce texte, que la capacité des Asiatiques bouddhistes de Toronto à utiliser efficacement la politique de la représentation dépend du degré de capital social au sein de leur communauté ou chez des personnes associées à un groupe défini ou qui agissent en son nom. Un exemple précis de la politique identitaire est celui des réfugiés du Laos qui ont affronté l’opposition à la construction d’un temple. Les conflits locaux pour l’utilisation des terres ou les tensions entre voisins concernant des lieux de culte révèlent l’importance du capital social pour une représentation efficace de l’identité afin de contrer les stéréotypes négatifs envers les minorités religieuses et raciales. L’exemple du Laos démontre que les notions idéales de pluralisme et de multiculturalisme promues dans les politiques sociales canadiennes ne se traduisent pas nécessairement, dans la pratique, par la diversité et l’acceptation de l’ «autre».
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McLellan, J., White, M. Social capital and identity politics among Asian Buddhists in Toronto. Int. Migration & Integration 6, 235–253 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1012-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1012-7