Zen and the Art of Democracy: Contemplative Practice as Ordinary Political Theory
Political Theory August 1, 2020 S. Mariotti
Meditation, often packaged as part of 'Buddhist modernism' in American culture, can be understood as an aesthetic practice that cultivates modes of experience, perception, thinking, and feeling that further radical democratic projects. Drawing on the democratic theory of Jacques Rancière and the Zen writings of Shunryu Suzuki and Thomas Merton, the essay argues that contemplative practices function as a form of political theorizing in everyday life. By reclaiming experience and generating care and compassion, meditation enables, enacts, and extends democracy at a fundamental level.