Politics of Reincarnation: The Dalai Lama Lineage between Religious Tradition and Political Calculation

Note:
The lecture will be held in hybrid format. Details of the on-site venue will be announced shortly.
To attend online, please register to receive the Zoom access link: Zoom meeting registrationExternal link

Prof. Dr Karénina Kollmar-Paulenz is Professor of the Study of Religion and Central Asian Studies at the University of Bern. Her research focuses on the religious history of Tibet and Mongolia, Buddhist concepts of authority and legitimacy, and the relationship between religion and politics in Central Asia.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday in the summer of this year, the 14th Dalai Lama declared that the institution of the Dalai Lamas should continue and that the search for and recognition of his reincarnation would be carried out “according to the established tradition”.
This lecture begins with a brief introduction to the concept of reincarnation in Tibetan Buddhism. It then presents both the traditional Tibetan procedures for identifying a reincarnation and the current regulations issued by the Chinese government governing the selection process of so-called “living Buddhas”, placing them in their historical context.
Building on this, the lecture discusses the religious and political implications of the reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama.

The lecture will last approximately 45 to 60 minutes, followed by a discussion and the opportunity to ask questions.

Further lecture in the “China Competence” series, winter semester 2025/26

18 December 2025, 11:15 | online
The Political Transformation of Hong Kong: From Liberal to Illiberal Authoritarianism
Speaker: Dr Stephan Ortmann | Associate Professor of Political Science, Hong Kong Metropolitan University