The Traffic in Hierarchy: Masculinity and Its Others in Buddhist Burma
The Traffic in Hierarchy: Masculinity and Its Others in Buddhist Burma
Cite
Abstract
Looking at Buddhist monasteries as social institutions, this book integrates a thorough description of one such monastery with a wide-ranging study of Burmese social relations, both religious and lay, looking particularly at the matter of gender. Hierarchical assumptions inform all such relations, and higher status implies a person’s greater autonomy. A monk is particularly idealized because he exemplifies the Buddhist ideal of “detachment” and so autonomy. A male head of household represents another masculine ideal, if a somewhat less prestigious one. He enjoys greater autonomy than other members of the household yet remains entangled in the world. Women and trans women are thought to be more invested in attachment than autonomy and are expected to subordinate themselves to men and monks as a result. But everyone must concern themselves with the matter of relative status in all of their interactions. This makes face-to-face encounter fraught. Several chapters detail the ways that individuals try to stave off the risks that interaction necessarily entails. One stratagem is to subordinate oneself to nodes of power, but this runs counter to efforts to demonstrate one’s autonomy. Another is to foster detachment, most dramatically in the practice of meditation.
-
Front Matter
- Introduction: Hierarchy in Traffic
-
One
Everyday Forms of Hierarchical Observance
-
Two
A Description of the Shweigyin Monastery
-
Three
Discretionary Attachments: Monks and Their Social Relations
-
Four
Taking Dumont to Southeast Asia
-
Five
Hierarchical Habits
-
Six
Gaining Access to Power
-
Seven
Meditation
-
Eight
Masculinity
-
Nine
Masculinity’s Others: Women, Nuns, and Trans Women
-
Ten
Taking Autonomy and Attachment Further Afield
-
End Matter
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
July 2023 | 3 |
July 2023 | 2 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 4 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 6 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 3 |
October 2024 | 1 |
November 2024 | 1 |
November 2024 | 2 |
March 2025 | 1 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.