Western education and modernization in a Buddhist village of Bangladesh: A case study of the Barua community.

摘要

Through a case study of a Buddhist village in the southeastern part of Bangladesh, this research examines the issues of Western education and modernization within the socio-political context of Bangladesh. This study exclusively focuses on the Barua community. It adopts an anti-colonial discursive framework. This framework offers both theoretical and practical responses to the issues of education and modernization. The anti-colonial approach acknowledges the value of local knowledge, cultural history and the daily life experiences of the people in understanding social reality.;The research participants confirmed that the education they received is contradictory to the Buddhist culture and traditions. They reflected that the Buddhist educational values are different from the Western educational values. Furthermore, the participants mentioned that Buddhist education advocates the principles of compassion and generosity for the welfare of all creatures. It does not believe in domestication. The participants also stated that this scheme towards massive modernization tends to disconnect the Barua community from the practice of Buddhist ethics. They pointed out that the Western form of education pulled community members away from their own social environment and economy. This education created an image of Western materialistic ways of life as well as forced them to adopt the views of the dominant power in the name of modernization.;The restoration of Buddhist ethics and educational values in the country is a great challenge for the minority Barua community. It was observed that their political representation was absent at the national level, although community resistance for social identity and cultural rights existed within the case study village.