Prof. Geeta Ramana Memorial Research Scholar’s Forum University of Mumbai
in collaboration with
Pontifical Athenaeum Jnana Deepa, Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Pune
International conference
On: Buddhist Philosophy and Praxis: Dialogue and Coexistence in a Diverse and Precarious World 20-21 June, 2025
This international conference will focus on ‘Buddhist Philosophy and Praxis: Dialogue and Coexistence in a Diverse and Precarious World’, and it will be held at the Jnana Deepa Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Pune, India, on 20-21 June, 2025, organized in collaboration with Prof. Geeta Ramana Memorial Research Scholar’s Forum, University of Mumbai. The conference aims to bring together research scholars, students and faculty to explore the theme through their disciplinary perspectives, providing a platform for dialogue and reflection. Buddhist scholars and practitioners will also be invited to present the relevance, significance, and applications of Buddhism in our diverse and increasingly precarious world.
Buddhist philosophy has an over 2,500-year history and has offered a radical response to the traditional ritualistic phenomena surrounding religion, spreading over the centuries to a large part of the eastern world to countries like China, Japan, Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos apart from varieties of Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhism, with its rich philosophical and spiritual heritage, offers valuable insights and practices for cultivating inner peace, compassion, and wisdom. It offers probing insights into the nature of mind and reality to arrive at the pragmatic goal of the cessation of dukkha or suffering through the right view of reality, free from delusion. As the world grapples with the challenge of growing polarization, armed conflict, rising economic inequality, environmental degradation, rapid technological shifts and mental health issues, the conference aims to highlight the relevance of Buddhist principles and practices in addressing the concerns and suffering of our present. In today's increasingly complex, diverse and interconnected world, the need for dialogue and coexistence has never been more urgent. It is clear that our ability to engage in constructive dialogue and foster meaningful coexistence will be crucial in shaping the future of our global community, building trust, and fostering cooperation across cultural, linguistic, and ideological divides. The conference will also explore the impact of Neo-Buddhism, as well the application of Buddhist principles in various social and political citizen movements.
The conference will provide a platform for scholars, practitioners, and the larger community to engage in constructive dialogue to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges of coexistence in a diverse and precarious world and work towards solutions. Thus, the conference theme has immediate implications for the world that we share with other people and plays a role in how we construct and work towards our collective future.
Conference Sub-themes
With the above considerations in mind, the conference proposes to address the following thematic streams:
Global Challenges: Significance and application of Buddhist principles and concepts to facilitate dialogue and coexistence in the face of growing armed conflict, polarization, and divisive political agendas; Significance and application of Buddhist principles and concepts in dealing with contemporary challenges around healthcare, economic inequality, and environmental degradation
Neo-Buddhism: Significance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's reinterpretation of Buddhism that gives an account of social and politically engaged action questioning issues of caste hierarchies; its impact on Indian and global politics
Buddhism and Social Justice: Significance of Buddhist philosophy in social and political citizen movements and dealing with various human rights issues
Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology: Studying the nature of mind and reality; exploring Buddhist meditative practices to deal with rising mental health issues; cultivating mental resilience and adaptability in an uncertain, ever-shifting, impermanent world and in the face of constant and sometimes disruptive change due to rapid technological shifts and changing job markets
Representations of Buddhist Philosophy in Art and Culture: Drawing from the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Buddhism, including its art, architecture, literature, and music to engage with the challenges of a diverse and precarious world
Note: Other relevant topics related to the conference theme may be chosen
Organization and Structure
Dates: 20-21 June, 2025 (10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.)
Venue: Pontifical Athenaeum Jnana Deepa, Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Ramwadi, Nagar Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411014
1. Addresses by renowned Buddhist scholars and practitioners
2. Paper presentations by research scholars, students and faculty
To participate in the conference as an attendee, kindly write to archgoure@philosophy.mu.ac.in and gayamend@gmail.com for more information.
Call for Papers
We invite papers that address the theme of the conference and are confident that scholars from different disciplines will contribute to the continuing debate and discussions on Buddhism and its applications in our contemporary world.
The call for papers is issued in two stages: abstracts and then full papers
If you would like to send in a paper for consideration, please submit a 300-word abstract based on original work. Abstract to be emailed to grscholarsforum2023@gmail.com
Kindly provide details of the author(s) name, the title of the article, author’s institutional affiliation and email address on a separate page.
Deadline for Submission of Abstract: 1st March, 2025
Communication of Acceptance to Authors: 15th March, 2025
If accepted, Deadline for Submission of Full Paper: 1st May, 2025
Once accepted, full paper submissions of 4000 to 5000 words, must be emailed to grscholarsforum2023@gmail.com
Submitted files should be in Microsoft Word format. All text, footnotes and references must be single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, no hyphenation. Use italics rather than underlining (except with URL addresses). All illustrations, figures, and tables should be placed within the text, rather than at the end. Page margins should be a minimum of one inch. References must be listed at the end of the paper. Details of the author should be mentioned on the first page.
All submissions will be screened and shortlisted by members of the Committee for presentation at the conference. Selected papers will be accepted for publication in the Philosophy journal.
Best Paper Award:
Justice Kodandaramaya Research Award (2025)
This award is only open to PhD research scholars in Philosophy who are currently doing their research. The objective of the award is to encourage independent and original research on the theme of the conference. The research paper must develop a cogent idea, implied within the work undertaken.
The authors of the best articles will be invited to present their work at the conference.
Select papers will be published in Philosophy Journal.
The best paper will be awarded a cash prize as well as a certificate of appreciation.
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