Religious Tourism in Northern Thailand - 9780295748924

University of Washington Press

Religious Tourism in Northern ThailandEncounters with Buddhist Monks\nAuthor(s): Brooke Schedneck\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: University of Washington Press, United States\nImprint: University of Washington Press\nISBN-13: 9780295748924, 978-0295748924\nSynopsis\nCross-cultural dialogues in sacred space cultivate awareness of self and othersTemples are everywhere in Chiang Mai, filled with tourists as well as saffron-robed monks of all ages. The monks participate in daily urban life here as elsewhere in Thailand, where Buddhism is promoted, protected, and valued as a tourist attraction. Yet this mountain city offers more than a fleeting, commodified tourist experience, as the encounters between foreign visitors and Buddhist monks can have long-lasting effects on both parties.\n\nThese religious contacts take place where economic motives, missionary zeal, and opportunities for cultural exchange coincide. Brooke Schedneck incorporates fieldwork and interviews with student monks and .