In 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 RESOURCES & LINKS

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ABOUT OUR PODCAST GUESTS

Christopher Jain Miller is the co-founder, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies at Arihanta Institute. He completed his PhD in the study of Religion at the University of California, Davis and is also a Visiting Researcher at the University of Zürich's Asien-Orient-Institut and Visiting Professor at Claremont School of Theology where he co-developed and co-runs a remotely available Masters Degree Program focusing on Engaged Jain Studies. His current research focuses on Engaged Jainism and Modern Yoga, and he is the author of a number of articles and book chapters concerned with Jainism and the practice of modern yoga. Christopher is the author of Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation (Routledge 2024), as well as co-editor of the volumes Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Approaches to the Study of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY 2025) and Beacons of Dharma: Spiritual Exemplars for the Modern Age (Lexington 2020).

Dr. Jonathan Dickstein specializes in South Asian Religions, Religion and Ecology, and Comparative Religious Ethics. He received his doctoral degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he wrote his dissertation on ancient Indian animal taxonomies and their relevance for religious ritual and dietary practice. Jonathan’s current work focuses on Jainism and contemporary ecological issues, and accordingly extends into Critical Animal Studies, Food Studies, and Diaspora Studies.

Jonathan has published in a wide array of interdisciplinary journals on topics such as veganism and politics, yoga and diet, Jain veganism, and the ethic of nonviolence (ahiṃsa). Jonathan considers himself a scholar-practitioner, having spent many years not only in libraries but also in public advocating for justice for both humans and nonhumans alike.

Cogen Bohanec currently holds the position of Assistant Professor in Sanskrit and Jain Studies at Arihanta Institute where he teaches various courses on Jain philosophy and its applications. In addition, he is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Claremont School of Theology (CST) where he teaches Sanskrit and Gujarati, and he has taught numerous classes on South Asian Culture & Religions and Sanskrit language at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley. Dr. Bohanec specializes in the Jain and Hindu traditions, comparative dharma traditions, philosophy of religion, theo-ethics (virtue ethics, and environmental and animal ethics in particular), and Sanskrit language and literature, and has numerous publications in those areas, particularly in the fields of Jain and Hindu Studies amongst other disciplines. He has a PhD in “Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion” with an emphasis in Hindu Studies from GTU, where his research emphasized ancient Indian languages, literature, and...

In this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, Arihanta Institute professor and lead organizer of the Vegan Studies Initiative Jonathan Dickstein, PhD, speaks with Laila Kassam, Executive Director of Project Phoenix, a UK-based advocacy organization dedicated to building public will for animal liberation. Their conversation examines the past and present landscape of the animal movement—its strategic gains, missed opportunities, and the urgent need for more coordinated public-facing work in the years ahead.

Together, they reflect on the evolution of animal advocacy, consider how theories of social change can reorient movement strategy, and explore how organizations like Project Phoenix are reshaping what it means to organize for animal freedom at scale in 2025 and beyond.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & LINKS

• Project Phoenix | Join the Animal Freedom Movement
• Subscribe to the Arihanta Institute Newsletter
• Vegan Studies Initiative @ Arihanta Institute | Courses, Speaker Series, Research & More!

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ABOUT OUR PODCAST GUESTS

Laila is Founder and Executive Director of Project Phoenix. As Executive Director, she leads Project Phoenix’s development, strengthening organizational capacity, and guiding strategic planning, leadership, and culture, to ensure its impact aligns with its mission and values. As Network Power Lead, she cultivates a national network of organizations and individuals working toward shared goals for animal freedom.

Laila is a Co-Founder and former Director of Animal Think Tank where she served for six years. She is co-editor of the book Rethinking Food and Agriculture: New Ways Forward which envisions a truly just and sustainable food system. She is on the Advisory Board of Animal Advocacy Careers and The Empathy Project and a mentor for Kickstarting for Good. Laila has been involved in social change for most of her career having previously worked in international development for 15 years. She has a PhD in Development Economics (SOAS) and an MSc in Development Management (LSE).

ABOUT OUR PODCAST HOST

Dr. Jonathan Dickstein specializes in South Asian Religions, Religion and Ecology, and Comparative Religious Ethics. He received his doctoral degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he wrote his dissertation on ancient Indian animal taxonomies and their relevance for religious ritual and dietary practice. Jonathan’s current work focuses on Jainism and contemporary ecological issues, and accordingly extends into Critical Animal Studies, Food Studies, and Diaspora Studies.

Jonathan has published in a wide array of interdisciplinary journals on topics such as veganism and politics, yoga and diet, Jain veganism, and the ethic of nonviolence (ahiṃsa). Jonathan considers himself a scholar-practitioner, having spent many years not only in libraries but also in public advocating for justice for both humans and nonhumans alike.

Copyright 2025 Arihanta Institute

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit academic institution, Arihanta Institute is dedicated to advancing education, scholarship, critical research, and public dissemination of real-world application of the Jain principles of non-violence (ahiṃsā) and compassion (karuṇā). Our mission is to empower individuals with knowledge to embrace and apply these principles as a force for positive change, addressing the most pressing issues of our time with courage and compassion.

In this episode of the Engaged Jain Studies Podcast, Arihanta Institute professor Christopher Jain Miller, PhD, engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Anna Halafoff, Associate Professor in Sociology of Religion and Religious Studies at Deakin University, Australia. Their discussion delves into the Buddhist philosophy of compassion—its ethical, contemplative, and social dimensions—with a particular focus on the Dzogchen tradition’s distinctive approach to rest, (non)action, and compassionate responsibility.

Together, Professor Miller and Dr. Halafoff discuss how meditative practices cultivate resilience and empathy in both personal and collective contexts. They further consider how Buddhist ethics of interdependence can inform global engagement, ecological responsibility, and compassionate coexistence in today’s interconnected world. Listen for inspiration on how to cultivate compassion for oneself and others using Buddhist teachings and techniques.

Course Spotlight — 2022 | Buddhism, (Non)Action & Compassionate Responsibility — available for self-study on Monday, December 1, 2025.

This course invites learners to explore Buddhist understandings of compassion through the lens of Dzogchen Buddhism’s teachings on rest and (non)action. Students will examine how awareness and spaciousness form the foundation for compassionate responsiveness, while engaging with accessible practices and readings provided throughout the course.

Offered by the Compassion Studies Initiative (CSI@AI) at Arihanta Institute, this course is made possible through the generous support of the Uberoi Foundation.

👉🏽✨ Pre-register now and unlock unlimited access to 60+ courses with a 14-day free trial through Arihanta Institute’s Course Membership! Join a global community of lifelong learners dedicated to positive change and a more compassionate, purposeful life.

Start your free trial!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & LINKS

• 2022 | Buddhism, (Non)Action & Compassionate Responsibility
• The Compassion Studies Initiative is supported by a grant from the Uberoi Foundation.
• Course Membership - Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

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Dr. Anna Halafoff is Associate Professor in Sociology of Religion and Religious Studies at Deakin University. Her research expertise includes spirituality, Buddhism, religious diversity, interreligious relations, and social cohesion. She currently leads major projects on Buddhism in Australia: Belonging, Wellbeing, and Social Engagement and Spirituality in Australia: Wellness, Wellbeing, and Risks.

Dr. Halafoff is the author of Freedoms, Faiths and Futures: Teenage Australians on Religion, Sexuality and Diversity (Bloomsbury, 2021) and Religious Diversity in Australia: Living Well with Difference (Bloomsbury, 2024). A qualified yoga and meditation teacher with over 35 years of practice, she draws from both scholarly and experiential perspectives to deepen understanding of Buddhist compassion, rest, and ethical action.

Christopher Jain Miller, PhD, is the co-founder, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies at Arihanta Institute. He completed his PhD