For millions of people in Southeast Asia, Buddhism is more than a religion in the Western sense; it is a lifestyle. Theravada Buddhism in Thailand is intimately connected to Thai governance,...Show moreFor millions of people in Southeast Asia, Buddhism is more than a religion in the Western sense; it is a lifestyle. Theravada Buddhism in Thailand is intimately connected to Thai governance, society, and culture. Since the 1980s Thai Buddhism has created links with environmentalist movements. The Buddhist Environmental movement in Thailand has two terms related to monks: firstly, Development Monks or phra nak phatthana, and secondly, Forest Monks or phra nak anuraksaa. By 1991, there were some 250-300 Development Monks, comprising an important network in village grassroots communities, especially rural communities, and premised the desire to introduce a ‘Buddhist way of sustainable development'.Show less
This thesis examines displays of Chinese porcelain in Dutch museums and how they construct an image of China. Chinese commodities, especially porcelain, ended up in the Netherlands due to...Show moreThis thesis examines displays of Chinese porcelain in Dutch museums and how they construct an image of China. Chinese commodities, especially porcelain, ended up in the Netherlands due to increasing trade relations between Europe and China during the seventeenth century. Chinese porcelain was collected and put on display in Dutch interiors. This was mainly done to express the identity of the collector, thus reframing Chinese porcelain in a Dutch context. These porcelain collections eventually ended up in museum displays that framed Chinese porcelain within Western-centered and Orientalist frameworks. From the twenty-first century onwards, museum professionals have attempted to move beyond this Orientalist framework. This thesis aims to evaluate the narratives about Chinese porcelain and China that are being presented by twenty-first century displays of Chinese porcelain in Dutch museums. The analysis is performed through the observation of contemporary museum displays and focusses on the concept of framing. Attention is paid to aspects such as visual design, layout, and textual framing through object labels and wall panels. The analysis is used to evaluate the extent to which Dutch museums present Chinese porcelain as part of Western-centered and Orientalist narratives. The outcomes show that many museums still present a Western-centered narrative and use Orientalist modes of display which highlight the otherness of Chinese porcelain.Show less
