This course introduces students to Buddhism by examining its ideas and practices as they have taken place in actual social contexts rather than as disembodied textual objects. After surveying the main ideas and narratives of the tradition, we turn our attention to Thailand where we examine how these ideas and narratives have shaped a whole range of practices, from meditation to ritual of exorcism involving magical and shamanistic elements. We also consider the complex relation that Buddhism has entertained with the political realm, focusing more particularly on the place of statecraft in the Buddhist ethical universe and the problematic place of violence therein. We then consider the transformations that Buddhism is undergoing in contemporary Thai society, examining the changing role of monks and laity, the complexities of gender dynamic, the resurgence of the nun order, the rise of Buddhist social activism and the development of new Buddhist social philosophies. We ask questions such as: How can Buddhism adapt to modernity? What are the transformations involved in this process? What is the role of Buddhism in the new consumerist culture, which is taking over East Asia? Should Buddhist traditions take advantage of the opportunities of this new culture or should they adopt a critical stance toward its values? And if so, how can it contribute to the transformative movements that are changing our world? We conclude by raising some of the same questions in the United States.