Building Dharmic* Solidarity to Expand the Discourse about Religious Diversity in US Higher Education

In this paper, we, members of a dharmic* scholars collective, share the outcomes of our discussions over the last three years centered on the question: what shifts in research and practice are necessary to enable higher education to address the concerns of dharmic* (Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu) students in the US? Topics we have focused on in our discussions relate to (1) the pervasiveness of Christian hegemony, normativity, and privilege in US higher education that leads to a general misunderstanding of dharmic* traditions and the students from them; (2) systemic and institutionalized challenges to affecting change; and (3) racial, ethnic, and political tensions that shape the experiences and concerns of dharmic* students. In the end, we describe our hopes for the future and invite others – dharmic* scholar-practitioners and aspiring allies alike – to join us in working toward greater understanding, appreciation, and care for dharmic* and all religiously minoritized students.