Divinity Revised: The De- and Re-Contextualization of Adolescent Divinity Reasoning in Globalizing Thailand

This article explores how globalization reshapes moral development in northern Thailand. Employing a cultural-developmental approach to examine interview data gathered over the course of one year, the article discusses variations in Divinity-based moral reasoning among adolescents residing in variously globalized Thai communities. Quantitative analysis shows that moral reasoning diverges across contexts of globalization, with rural adolescents reasoning more in terms of the Ethic of Divinity than urban adolescents. Qualitative analysis shows how the meaning of Divinity diverges, with the Ethic of Divinity co-occurring alongside the Ethic of Community among rural adolescents, and the Ethic of Divinity co-occurring alongside the Ethic of Autonomy among urban adolescents. Analyses further indicate that rural and urban adolescents invoke distinct Divinity principles altogether. Findings suggest that in urban settings, Divinity is decontextualized from traditional community-driven Thai Buddhism and recontextualized to align with values that are adaptive in a globalized society. This article contributes to, and offers suggestions for, the empirical study of the moral psychology of globalization.