Buddhism and Christianity in Competition? Religious and Ethnic Identity in Karen Communities of Northern Thailand
Author(s)
Platz, Roland
Abstract
Which religion do you think is the best? During fieldwork in Karen villages, it is not uncommon to be asked questions like this. Karen take religion quite seriously, though not in a fanatical way. In a world of increasing ethnic and religious conflicts, studying the interrelationship between ethnic identity and religious identity within a single group consisting of different religions has some relevance. For example, how are religious and ethnic identities combined? Does religion have any significant influence on economic activities? Do conflicts or harmony usually prevail between followers of different religions? Is religion primarily a marker of identity vis-Ã -vis the outside world or is it meaningful within Karen society as well? This article examines Buddhism and Christianity in competition in the Karen Communities of Northern Thailand.
