Jonathan Gold (Religion)
A multi-year collaborative humanities project that integrates research and teaching around the famous Buddhist monument of Borobudur near Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The project begins by supporting an international collaborative workshop already in its planning stages, and seeks to leverage and expand the scope of this research group by integrating Princeton faculty, graduate students and undergraduates, extending its duration, solidifying networks and developing research projects in Princeton and in situ. The project as currently conceived includes four elements:
2020-2021
An on-site Borobudur Workshop which will be the start of a new global collaborative network. The workshop involves Princeton faculty members, including Jonathan Gold (Religion) and Nataliya Yanchevskaya (Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies), as part of a group of 30 international scholars and graduate students from around the globe.
2021-2022
A new undergraduate Course, “Building Buddhism: Cosmos, Enlightenment and Power in Religious Monuments” (developed by Jonathan Gold, co-taught with Leora Batnitzky (Religion) and other Princeton colleagues) centering around the Buddhist art, related literature, history and meaning(s) of Borobudur.
A follow-up Conference for the leaders of the summer workshop to meet in Princeton in Fall 2021, coinciding with the new undergraduate course, to continue sharing research, plan an edited volume of essays, and meet with undergraduates.
Winter Session 2022: Study/research trip to Borobudur for the Princeton undergraduate course participants and several Princeton Faculty.
