Comparative Studies in Asian and Latin American Philosophies ─ Cross-cultural Theories and Methodologies

Comparative philosophy, an important site for the study of non-Western philosophical traditions, has long been associated with an East-West dialogue. Comparative Studies in Asian and Latin American Philosophies changes the focus to Asian and Latin American traditions, addressing how their philosophers and theorists have interacted and enriched one another.

Examining Asian schools of thought through the eyes of various Latin American thinkers in the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries, a team of international contributors discuss the way Asian philosophies, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, were seen as alternatives to Eurocentric models and valuable for local Latin American concerns. They trace the effects of various engagements with Asian philosophy on questions of identity, race, investigate the role of the nation in Mexican thought, and look at the influence of Asian thought on two Latin American literary authors, Clarice Lispector and José Gorostiza.

Working comparatively to bring postcolonial and decolonial resources to bear on issues of shared concern in Latin American and Asian regions, Comparative Studies in Asian and Latin American Philosophies offers new insights into the nature and practice of philosophical comparison.

Stephanie Rivera Berruz is Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at William Paterson University, USA.

Leah Kalmanson is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Drake University, USA.