The Ecology of Practice: Performing Buddhism and Social Environmental Engagement in Germany

This book offers a well-grounded ethnographic analysis of the ecological practices of Buddhists in Germany, demonstrating how traditional teachings are connected with contemporary environmental engagement. It shows how Buddhist groups, such as the Order of Interbeing, XR Buddhists, or Fo Guang Shan, respond to climate change by turning mindfulness, compassion, and performative rituals into concrete social and ecological action. Key themes include the integration of Buddhist ethics into everyday ecological practices, the transformation of spiritual identity through embodied and symbolic action, and the role of religion in fostering social-ecological change. Drawing on interviews and participant observation, the author analyzes how Buddhist communities adapt their practices to current challenges while generating new forms of ecological spirituality in the process. This volume is particularly significant in the context of global environmental crises, as it shows that religion is not a refuge from the world but a powerful resource for collective transformation. The book fills a gap in the literature by theoretically framing and empirically investigating the previously under-researched field of German-language eco-Buddhism with perspectives from performativity theory and epistemic entanglement. It is an important read for scholars in the fields of religious studies, social and cultural anthropology, environmental ethics, and Buddhist studies, as well as practitioners engaged in interreligous or ecological movements.

Hanyi Zhang is a PhD student at the Chair for Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She received M.A. in Religion and Culture from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, B.Sc. in Economics from Freie Universität Berlin, and B.A. and M.A. degrees in German Studies. Her research interests include religion and sustainable development and Sino-German relations.