Contemplative practices and social change

Over the past several years, concerns with social equity, gender and racial justice, and healing of intergenerational wounds, have taken on renewed urgency in the face of ongoing regimes of racism, sexism, transphobia, exclusion of indigenous knowledges, and environmental neglect.

The Contemplative Practices and Social Change Research initiative aims to investigate how such recent social justice approaches to ending epistemic injustice are increasingly being incorporated into mindfulness and various contemplative practices around the world. This interdisciplinary initiative will bring together contemplative studies scholars and practitioners to investigate the following questions: What are the ways in which individuals and communities seek social change through contemplative practices? To what extent and in what ways might these approaches serve to foster social transformation? And how could contemplative practices benefit communities seeking social change?

University of Melbourne contributors:

• Associate Professor Ana Dragojlovic, Insight Fellow, Contemplative Studies Centre
• Dr Julieta Galante, Research Fellow, Contemplative Studies Centre
• Dr Cullan Joyce, Insight Fellow, Contemplative Studies Centre