New Books in Buddhist Studies Sara Ann Swenson, "Near Light We Shine: Buddhist Charity in Urban Vietnam" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Jan 15, 2026
Sara Swenson, Assistant Professor at Dartmouth College and author of "Near Light We Shine," discusses her path from a Christian upbringing to studying Vietnamese Buddhism. She shares insights about the role of charity in fostering community and belonging in urban Vietnam. Topics include the diverse landscape of Vietnamese Buddhism, the emergence of volunteer groups like the Sunshine Volunteer Corps, and how social media transforms charitable efforts. Swenson also explores the intersection of class, queer identity, and moral practices among volunteers.
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Entry Through A Tattooed Volunteer
- Sara Swenson met a heavily tattooed young volunteer who led street-facing Buddhist charity work in Ho Chi Minh City.
- That introduction led her into networks of youth volunteers cooking for hospitals and unhoused people, shaping her research focus.
Charity As Moral Light
- The Vietnamese axiom 'Near Light We Shine' frames charity as mutual moral contagion: being around good people brightens you.
- Volunteers seek communities that foster belonging and counter urban alienation through shared moral work.
Splintering Reveals Charity Types
- A single charity group's splintering revealed how identity, class, and morality shape where volunteers go.
- The book follows where volunteers migrated and how different projects and formalities emerged from that split.
