Middlebury

INTD1249A-W22

Politics of Mindfulness

Politics of Mindfulness
In recent decades, “mindfulness” has become a catch-all term for Buddhist-derived practices done in corporate, educational, and therapeutic contexts. Mindfulness practices are touted by some as a necessary panacea for modern ills. Critics argue, however, that they have been unduly stripped of an ethical dimension and thus simply reinforce the status quo. In this course we will examine the history of mindfulness practices in Buddhist traditions, beginning with the canonical Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. We will then draw from popular media and scholarly articles in order to assess the principal debates that surround the mindfulness discourse in contemporary American culture.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
11631
Subject Code:
INTD
Course Number:
1249
Section Identifier:
A

Course

INTD 1249

All Sections in Winter 2022

Winter 2022

INTD1249A-W22 Lecture (Pickens)