Shows
New Books in South Asian StudiesChristopher Jain Miller and Cogen Bohanec, "Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement" (SUNY Press, 2026)The Jain tradition, with roots in ancient India but now spread across the globe, is anything but static and monolithic. In Engaged Jainism, an interdisciplinary cohort of academics and practitioners explore the manifold ways in which Jains and Jain ideas become engaged in social worlds—historically, philosophically, philologically, and anthropologically. Following the legacy of Engaged Buddhism, the groundbreaking volume edited by Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, this volume shows how Jain traditions become engaged in everyday life, puts Jain ideas in dialogue with Western philosophical traditions, and examines the ways in which Jains have maintained Jain identity in t...
2026-01-081h 05
New Books in ReligionChristopher Jain Miller and Cogen Bohanec, "Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement" (SUNY Press, 2026)The Jain tradition, with roots in ancient India but now spread across the globe, is anything but static and monolithic. In Engaged Jainism, an interdisciplinary cohort of academics and practitioners explore the manifold ways in which Jains and Jain ideas become engaged in social worlds—historically, philosophically, philologically, and anthropologically. Following the legacy of Engaged Buddhism, the groundbreaking volume edited by Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, this volume shows how Jain traditions become engaged in everyday life, puts Jain ideas in dialogue with Western philosophical traditions, and examines the ways in which Jains have maintained Jain identity in t...
2026-01-081h 05
New Books in Indian ReligionsChristopher Jain Miller and Cogen Bohanec, "Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement" (SUNY Press, 2026)The Jain tradition, with roots in ancient India but now spread across the globe, is anything but static and monolithic. In Engaged Jainism, an interdisciplinary cohort of academics and practitioners explore the manifold ways in which Jains and Jain ideas become engaged in social worlds—historically, philosophically, philologically, and anthropologically. Following the legacy of Engaged Buddhism, the groundbreaking volume edited by Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, this volume shows how Jain traditions become engaged in everyday life, puts Jain ideas in dialogue with Western philosophical traditions, and examines the ways in which Jains have maintained Jain identity in t...
2026-01-081h 05
New Books NetworkChristopher Jain Miller and Cogen Bohanec, "Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement" (SUNY Press, 2026)The Jain tradition, with roots in ancient India but now spread across the globe, is anything but static and monolithic. In Engaged Jainism, an interdisciplinary cohort of academics and practitioners explore the manifold ways in which Jains and Jain ideas become engaged in social worlds—historically, philosophically, philologically, and anthropologically. Following the legacy of Engaged Buddhism, the groundbreaking volume edited by Christopher S. Queen and Sallie B. King, this volume shows how Jain traditions become engaged in everyday life, puts Jain ideas in dialogue with Western philosophical traditions, and examines the ways in which Jains have maintained Jain identity in t...
2026-01-081h 05
Engaged Jain Studies PodcastEngaged Jainism: Critical & Constructive Studies of Jain Social EngagementIn this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, Dr. Venu Mehta (Bhagwan Chandraprabha Endowed Assistant Professor in Jain Studies and Assistant Professor of Comparative Spiritualities at Claremont School of Theology) interviews Arihanta Institute Professors Dr. Christopher Jain Miller, Dr. Cogen Bohanec, and Dr. Jonathan Dickstein about the forthcoming edited volume, Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY 2025). Learn about their vision for Engaged Jainism and how the volume's interdisciplinary approach invites scholars, community members, and all who hold Jain values dear to contribute to the emerging field of engaged Jain studies.ADDITIONAL...
2025-12-0442 min
Hope for the AnimalsFrom Teddy Bears to Talking Fish: Children’s Media and Animal Personhood with Cogen and Hope BohanecHope’s husband, Cogen, returns to the show for a unique discussion on the portrayal of animal personhood in media. They delve into the evolution of children’s entertainment and examine the representation of animals as individual, intelligent persons. Cogen and Hope explore how the depiction of animal personhood in these films has shaped our perception of animals. From Mickey Mouse to Charlotte’s Web and the Muppets, they examine how we have come to empathize with animals and recognize their emotional nature and how far we still have to go.Films discussed:Early Mickey Mouse...
2025-12-021h 05
Engaged Jain Studies PodcastEileen Goddard | Bhakti Approaches to CompassionIn this enlightening episode of the Engaged Jain Studies podcast, Arihanta Institute professor Cogen Bohanec, MA, PhD engages in a profound discussion with Eileen Goddard, a Religious Studies PhD candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The conversation traverses Eileen's academic journey, highlighting key influences like her mentors Barbara Holdrege and Edwin Bryant, and her deep-rooted interest in South Asian religious traditions.Eileen delves into her fascination with the Caitanya Vaiṣṇava tradition, exploring how her research focuses on the sixteenth-century Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava movement. She offers insights into Indian religious constructions of "perfected" minds and bodies...
2025-09-0955 min
Engaged Jain Studies PodcastAnil Mundra, PhD | Haribhadrasūri & the Philosophy of Anekānta-vādaIn this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, Assistant Professor Cogen Bohanec, MA, PhD interviews Anil Mundra, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies and holder of the Bhagvan Vimalnath Endowed Chair in Jain Studies and South Asian Religions at the University of California Santa Barbara. During their conversation, the professors delve into the significant contributions of Haribhadrasūri, a polymath and influential figure in the Jain tradition. They discuss his works, including commentaries on the Śvetāmbara āgamas, and his role in promoting cosmopolitanism and interfaith acceptance. The conversation also explores the concept of anekānta-v...
2025-04-301h 08
Hope for the AnimalsThe Ahimsa Living Circle with Cogen and Hope BohanecWelcome to 2025! For our first podcast of the year, we dive into spiritual veganism with Hope and her husband Cogen Bohanec. They start with their genesis stories of their spiritual journeys and how they have evolved in their 25-year marriage. Then they introduce a new project, the Ahimsa Living Circle, an ongoing monthly virtual gathering to support the community of veg-curious, pre-vegans, and vegans focused on the Dharma traditions and in particular Jain Dharma, in a circle of encouragement and compassion. The Ahimsa Living Circle is a collaborative event co-hosted by Arihanta Institute and Compassionate Living. Hope a...
2025-01-031h 10
Hope for the AnimalsHalloween Episode: Flesh Eating, Speciesism, and Getting Away with Murder Do you love Halloween? Do you like to dig deep into philosophical discussions of life and death? This episode might just be for you. Today’s show is a Halloween special with something a little different. In the first half, Hope explores the theme of cannibalism in zombie, vampire, and other fantasy and horror movies and shows how these stories actually underscore our speciesist tendencies. Then, in the second half of the show, Hope and her husband Cogen, have a conversation about why people love horror movies and ask the question, could it be that our society like...
2024-10-1528 minNew Books in Indian ReligionsCogen Bohanec, "Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics" (Lexington, 2024)Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics (Lexington Books, 2024) explores the broader implications of understanding bhakti, “devotional love to the divine,” as an ethical theory based on a “realist” account of emotions, where emotions are sensory perceptions of the real ethical qualities of classes of actions. The work discusses how emotions are understood metaphysically as extra-mental, objectively real qualities, what Cogen Bohanec refers to as “affective realism.” This follows from a cosmogenic model where the universe emanates from the loving relationship between the divine feminine, Rādhā, and her intense loving relationship with her masculine counterpart, Kṛṣṇa. Sin...
2024-09-1251 minNew Books in South Asian StudiesCogen Bohanec, "Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics" (Lexington, 2024)Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics (Lexington Books, 2024) explores the broader implications of understanding bhakti, “devotional love to the divine,” as an ethical theory based on a “realist” account of emotions, where emotions are sensory perceptions of the real ethical qualities of classes of actions. The work discusses how emotions are understood metaphysically as extra-mental, objectively real qualities, what Cogen Bohanec refers to as “affective realism.” This follows from a cosmogenic model where the universe emanates from the loving relationship between the divine feminine, Rādhā, and her intense loving relationship with her masculine counterpart, Kṛṣṇa. Sin...
2024-09-1253 minNew Books in ReligionCogen Bohanec, "Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics" (Lexington, 2024)Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics (Lexington Books, 2024) explores the broader implications of understanding bhakti, “devotional love to the divine,” as an ethical theory based on a “realist” account of emotions, where emotions are sensory perceptions of the real ethical qualities of classes of actions. The work discusses how emotions are understood metaphysically as extra-mental, objectively real qualities, what Cogen Bohanec refers to as “affective realism.” This follows from a cosmogenic model where the universe emanates from the loving relationship between the divine feminine, Rādhā, and her intense loving relationship with her masculine counterpart, Kṛṣṇa. Sin...
2024-09-1253 min
Engaged Jain Studies PodcastYoga Studies & Language Studies at Arihanta Institute | Christopher Jain Miller & Cogen BohanecIn this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, we speak to Arihanta Institute's Professor Cogen Bohanec, MA, PhD. Dr. Bohanec discusses his journey into Jain Studies, influenced by his broader practice of yoga, his study of Sanskrit, and his academic exploration of dharma traditions.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSPath to Jain Studies: Dr. Bohanec shares his academic and personal journey, highlighting the pivotal role of yoga and Sanskrit in his studies. The significance of Sanskrit in Jain Studies and Yoga Studies is examined, emphasizing its academic and practical applications.Courses at Arihanta Institute: Insights into the graduate...
2024-06-1850 min
Engaged Jain Studies PodcastVegan Studies at Arihanta Institute | Cogen Bohanec & Jonathan DicksteinIn this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, Arihanta Institute professors Cogen Bohanec and Jonathan Dickstein discuss the emerging field of Vegan Studies and the recently launched Vegan Studies Initiative (VSI@AI) at Arihanta Institute.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSDefining Disciplines: Dr. Dickstein explores the distinctions and overlaps among Animal Studies, Critical Animal Studies, Food Studies, and Vegan Studies, emphasizing the interdisciplinary approach of Vegan Studies.Asking the BIG Questions: The conversation delves into ethical considerations, questioning why we should care about animals amidst human suffering, war, and caste-based oppression.VSI@AI: Learn about the innovative online...
2024-06-071h 03
Hope for the AnimalsAnimal Ethics and Theology with Cogen Bohanec, PhDOn today’s episode we have a recurring guest joining us, Hope’s husband, Cogen Bohanec. Hope and Cogen start us off with a big announcement and then Cogen discusses his work as a constructive theologian in the Dharma Traditions and how he connects Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist Dharma with environmental and animal rights issues. He talks about eco-psychology, eco-theology, karma theory, and the dangers of “human exceptionalism.” Cogen also talks about his recent writings regarding animal personhood, animals’ intrinsic value, and how we can remove systems of oppression through religious and cultural transformation. “It is a false binary...
2023-02-151h 07
Hope for the AnimalsMeatsplaining with Dr. Jason HannanDr. Jason Hannan is Associate Professor in the Department of Rhetoric, Writing, & Communications at the University of Winnipeg. He is the editor of Meatsplaining: The Animal Agriculture Industry and the Rhetoric of Denial. Jason and Hope talk about this edited volume and about “meatsplaining” as a PR tactic of the animal agriculture industry. They talk about how animal exploiters use the law, social media, anti-vegan trolling, and the humane hoax to justify and sanitize atrocities in animal farming. They also talk about Jason’s current book project, New White Saviors: The Colonial Mythology of Meat, which examines the meat indust...
2022-11-0149 min
Hope for the AnimalsThe Vegan Hypocritical Imperative with Cogen and Hope BohanecThis episode we welcome back to the podcast Hope’s husband Cogen Bohanec. Cogen and Hope reminisce about giving vegan talks together in the early 2000’s, how enchanted they were with each other’s integrity and ethical values, and how some (almost) raw sushi was a symbol of their love. They then explore some vegan philosophies they have debated over the years. The first is what Cogen calls the Hypocritical Imperative, arguing that it’s better to be hypocritical than complacent. They also discuss vegan vs. plant based labels and if plant based offers a more inclusive option or a watere...
2022-06-011h 12
Hope for the AnimalsVegan Love and Rescue with Hope and Cogen Bohanec Happy Holidays! Hope’s guest for this special holiday episode is her husband and best friend of 21 years, Cogen Bohanec. Over the years, Cogen and Hope have come across numerous animals in distress and have jumped into action to help animals both wild and domestic. In this episode, they recall some of their exciting, touching, and harrowing rescue stories to share them with you. A little about Cogen. He received his PhD from the Center for Dharma Studies (CDS) in the History and Culture of Religions with an emphasis in Hindu Dharma and ethics. He also...
2021-12-201h 01