Nova Religio

Based on a lifetime of both academic and personal work with the Cambodian refugee community in America, Cambodian Buddhism in the United States is a monumental text. Detailing the full range of Cambodian Buddhist practice and Khmer religious life in America, Carol Mortland's work provides an examination of living as a refugee and preserving cultural identity that—although encyclopedic in both its depth and breadth—still remains deeply personal and moving. After an introductory chapter providing a brief history of Cambodia and the flight of refugees to America, Mortland examines the lives, beliefs, and practices of Cambodian Buddhist refugees in thematically-organized chapters. These chapters range from examining metaphysical principles and practices like Khmer Buddhism beliefs and rituals of Khmer Buddhism to institutional concerns like temple organization, religious personnel, and congregations.

The scale of Mortland's work accomplishes the exceptional task of producing a comprehensive vision of the Cambodian refugee community in America. Whereas other discussions of immigrant and refugee religion in America might overly summarize or arrange the data to present a simplistic, unidimensional view of the given community, Cambodian Buddhism in the United States relishes the complexities and contradictions that arise in these communities. Indeed, Mortland does not shy away from allowing a multitude of Cambodian Buddhist voices speak to how they understand themselves and their religious practices, resulting in a book that presents an honest and multifaceted picture of [End Page 147] a community disagreeing about how to maintain their identity while also assimilating into their new homes. While this unexpected diversity may be initially off-putting in light of the vast assortment of Cambodian-American Buddhist beliefs and practices, it ultimately works towards Mortland's aim of revealing the deep humanity of her research subjects. A particularly valuable chapter is the discussion of non-Buddhist Cambodians and their complicated relationship to the larger Cambodian Buddhist community, which nuances the realities of both religious and ethnic identity in light of needs to assimilate.

Specific chapters would be suitable for use in an undergraduate class, most notably "Khmer Buddhism Beliefs" and "Temple Difficulties." Relying heavily on Mortland's in-person fieldwork and interviews, these chapters offer a fascinating picture of Cambodian Buddhist beliefs and practices interacting with, responding to, and challenging contemporary American society. One example includes Cambodian-American families discussing whether a child's burn from upending a pot of boiling water in the kitchen is the result of a vengeful spirit punishing the father for infidelity; another features debates between Cambodian-American monks and laypeople about who should lead the temple. Beyond this use in the classroom, Cambodian Buddhism in the United States also serves as an excellent reference work for individuals seeking to understand the contours and experiences of Cambodian religious life in America. However, due to the detailed nature of Mortland's work, graduate students and academics in American religions, Buddhism in diaspora, or immigrant studies will likely find the book most compelling.

The encyclopedic breadth that makes Mortland's work so important and so invaluable may also alienate some readers. In the interest of relating the vast amount of knowledge she has collected, the through line of Mortland's argument sometimes gets lost. As a result, the book at times feels like something more akin to a reference work or collection of research anecdotes. However, it also evinces Mortland's obvious love and care for her subjects, as well as a passion to document the transformations of Cambodian Buddhism in its first and second generations in America. In light of the magnitude of this task, Cambodian Buddhism in America represents an excellent step. [End Page 148]