Gender Pluralism in Muslim and Buddhist Southeast Asia Since Early Modern Times

FAIN: FB-52549-06

Michael G. Peletz
Colgate University (Hamilton, NY 13346-1338)

This project seeks to analyze historical and anthropological data on gender pluralism among Muslims and Buddhists in SE Asia from early modern times to the present, and to prepare a book examining the vicissitudes of gender in SE Asia with particular reference to dynamics of diversity, pluralism, and inequality. The more general goals involve addressing important empirical and theoretical issues in the social scientific and humanistic literature concerning how Muslim, Buddhist, and other societies deal with socio-cultural differences either by proscribing or begrudgingly tolerating them, or by according them legitimacy and thus accepting those who represent such diversity as more or less equal to other individuals and groups in society.