In this GSS course preview, we learn there were approximately 3-4 million Buddhists in the United States as of 2010, and that figure is expected to grow significantly. Beyond the numbers, the influence of Buddhism can be felt throughout the culture, with many more people practicing meditation, for example, than claiming Buddhist identity. A century ago, this would have been unthinkable. So how did Buddhism come to claim such a significant place in the American cultural landscape? Dr. Scott Mitchell takes us behind the scenes to answer this question and more.

Meet your instructor: Dr. Mitchell is the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs and holds the Yoshitaka Tamai Professorial Chair at the Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, CA, and co-host of the DharmaRealm podcast. He teaches and writes about Buddhism in the West, Buddhist modernism, Pure Land Buddhism, and Buddhism and media.