Dr Emma Tomalin and Caroline Starkey (University of Leeds, Centre for Religion and Public Life) are working on an English Heritage funded research project about Buddhist buildings in contemporary England. These buildings are currently under-researched, yet provide a fascinating lens through which to view the development of Buddhist communities on these shores.
The project runs from September 2013 to September 2014, and we will use both interviews and site visits, alongside an online survey, to gather our data. Our interest is in both the fabric of the buildings and the built landscape of Buddhism in England, and also the significance of the buildings to various communities. The results of our research will be compiled into a report for English Heritage, and also an academic journal article for publication.
We regularly blog about our research at www.buildingbuddhism.wordpress.com – and here you can find out about each of our research sites, see our photographs, and keep informed about the online survey when it is launched.
You can also contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information