Abstract
This volume by Jun and Collins is the latest addition to Springer’s multivolume Education in the Asia Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns, and Prospects. In light of the absence of focus on religious or belief systems within the study of higher education amid the region’s multifaceted complexities and challenges, the significance of this volume cannot be overstated. Its explicit purpose, to engage with the evolving role of the systems within the fabric of Asia-Pacific higher education institutions, is timely—addressing the pervasive yet neglected “influence of ‘spiritual capital’” (p. vii).
The opening chapter presents a compelling case for the volume, highlighting the limitations of Asian universities—as largely Western institutions—overemphasizing logic in their commitment to “objectivity, positivism, and formal science” (p. 3). The outcome is the neglect of the presence and contribution of belief systems, religion, and spirituality. Over the next four chapters, the authors give attention to the evolving role of religion in context—that is, without any cross-country comparison.
While lamenting the intrusion of colonialism, the authors unanimously call for further work among universities to remain culturally and contextually connected and relevant. This work requires a (i) “redefinition of academic culture” (p. 9) to describe the changing nature of higher education amid the synthesis of local religions and Western ideologies (Taiwan), (ii) reduction of barriers to ensure Islamic Higher Education Institutes maintain sustainable impact on local and international Muslim communities (Malaysia), (iii) engagement with social problems within the curricula such that graduates become justice-minded and engaged citizens to tackle the plethora of social problems (Korea), and (iv) negotiation of the contradiction between maintaining Christian roots without the entrapments of religious doctrines (Japan).
Part 2’s tone takes an overt shift—from analysis to critique—with chapter 6 decrying the failure of the Thai higher education system to effectively teach morality. Arguing that educators need to begin with religious and moral epistemology, the chapter puts forth the theory of Attasammapanidhi for consideration and warns that their qualification of students as “successful … in moral education” (p. 68) is insufficient to ensure they live morally upright lives. Chapter 7, in the same vein as chapter 6, critiques the present state of China’s higher education through exposing the multiple barriers that prevent students from developing a “solid understanding of Chinese belief” (p. 73). Both authors urge for a restoration of critical thinking and respect for traditional Chinese belief. In chapter 8, the author scrutinizes the lackluster effort of the Indonesian government to preserve Balinese culture through the island’s traditional theater. Amid the unfortunate monetization and commercialization of the rich cultural and religious practices, the authors urge local and international institutions to consider pedagogical revisions to promote traditional spirituality and culture.
The final part of this volume moves the locality of discussion from Asia to the United States, in order to examine (i) the centrality of first people’s belief systems in the reimagination of higher education in Hawaii, (ii) the intersection between religious and belief systems in Shanghai and Los Angeles through two films produced by graduate students in Los Angeles, and (iii) the empowerment and impediment encountered by social justice workers who are adherents of Asian religious beliefs in negotiating their work environment. While the chapters’ inclusion of Asian or Pacific belief systems attempts a continuity with the previous eight chapters, this effort comes across as tenuous (chapter 9 reads as an exception due to Hawaii’s unique location and history) and abrupt. Surprisingly, Jun and Collins do not offer any explanation for locality change and how this change contributes to the overall purpose of the volume.
Jun and Collins conclude this volume through framing Asia’s long-standing religious and belief systems within the overarching concept of spiritual capital—defined as “a mind-set … tied to institutionalized and culturally shared values” (p. 156). Through this approach, they sound the clarion call for Asia’s higher education institutions to ensure local imperatives remain at the forefront of their mission and vision in the face of the “powerful movement of higher education toward international conformity” (p. 155). Only then will they not succumb to “further epistemicide by a Western capitalistic view of the world” (p. 155).
With the analysis, critique, and discussion residing primarily at the historical and philosophical dimensions, this volume is recommended for those in positions of higher education leadership—given their capacity to maintain culture and context specificity in the face of “educational imperialism” (p. 157). While practical applications may not be forthcoming in the chapters, the urgency for Asian institutions to rise to the challenge is never clearer.