ASIA 188Tibet: People, Places and Spaces

3 credits · Asian Studies · Penn State

Few places generate as much curiosity, interest, or controversy, in the Western mind than Tibet. This course examines Tibet from a variety of perspectives from Tibet's political unification under a single ruler in the seventh century up to Tibet's incorporation into the People's Republic of China in the latter half of the twentieth century. Adopting a Tibet-centered focus, this course examines three core dimensions of Tibet namely its people, its religion and its strong sense of place to allow for a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of Tibet to emerge. No background or specialized knowledge about Tibet is expected though a willingness to read primary documents on a variety of religious, ethnic and political themes will be quite useful. In this course students can expect to gain an appreciation for how religion, history and politics contribute to contemporary portrayals of Tibet, Tibetans and their society.