Introduction: the new "defenders": youthful articulations of Buddhism in a contemporary Age

In recent years, contemporary scholarship on Buddhism has focused on processes of religious change and adaptation with a number of frameworks advanced to account for the social and cultural forces reshaping the Buddhist landscape. However, the contributions and perspectives of young people and youthful “allies” have been largely overlooked in extant theorizations of Buddhism. This is a curious omission, given that young people are often at the forefront of social and cultural change, and the youth phase in itself represents a period of growth, development and maturation. This special issue addresses this gap in the literature. It explores how young people’s encounters, engagements, re-interpretations and adaptations of Buddhist teachings, beliefs, practices, cultures and traditions have contributed to the development of Buddhism globally. Additionally, it considers how young people’s development as Buddhist practitioners-in-the-making offers scholars of Buddhism a unique window into understanding religious change as it is being negotiated by the next generation of Buddhist practitioners.