Why Radical Change?
Where dharma and critical social theory can grow together
I often tell people the most formative parts of my seminary experience weren’t the Buddhism classes, but the people I met, the social ethics courses I took, and the lectures on critical theory. These courses helped me better understand the Western context in which Buddhism has been transmitted, while providing a deeper analysis of the economic and social forces at the root of societal suffering.
In many ways, these classes were the missing puzzle pieces in my dharma education. I already knew Buddhism offered a path for radical personal transformation—its teachings and practices had been life-changing for me in my own relationship to suffering. But in regards to how suffering was reproduced on a systemic and cultural scale? I had broad stroke ideas but lacked the analytical rigor for it to fully inform my politics and activism.
Radical Change is a newsletter and community for anyone who is grappling with what Buddhism has to offer this moment of social, political, and ecological decay. It’s a space where dharma, social ethics, and critical theory can meet, wrestle, and grow together.
In this space, we can discuss mutual aid, post-capitalism, and the nature of power—alongside the Buddha’s teachings on ethics, compassion, and the nature of suffering. It’s a place where political and spiritual transformation go hand in hand.
I believe the absence of such spaces is one of the reasons Western sanghas and Buddhist organizations often inadvertently replicate the very social inequalities, power dynamics, and abuses that engaged Buddhism seeks to heal. Similarly, the lack of spiritual worldview, embodied practices, and ethical guidelines are the reason why radical political spaces can often recreate the supremacy culture they purport to challenge.
Each week, I write posts on Western Buddhism, ethics, and social change, all freely available. Paid subscribers gain additional access to the following monthly offerings:
The Engaged Dharma Book Club: We dive into six political texts each year, exploring them through the lens of dharma.
The Engaged Buddhist Studies Seminars: I teach six workshops throughout the year, focused on the intersection of dharma and social change.
Ask a Buddhist Ethicist Podcast: Paid subscribers can submit questions to the monthly Q&A podcast for me to research and explore in an upcoming episode.
For those new to Buddhist meditation—or those looking for more support in developing a justice-informed practice—I offer Engaged Buddhism & Meditation Mentoring. The program is based on the Buddha’s Eightfold Noble Path and centers Buddhist ethics as the foundation of practice, while integrating dharma teachings and meditation.
I’m honored and excited to share this newsletter with you. If you’re seeking a space to explore the intersection of dharma and social change, I invite you to join me.