How
has the geography and natural environment of Tibet helped
shape Tibetan culture?
How
has Buddhism influenced Tibetan culture?
What
made traditional Tibet, before Chinese occupation in the 1950's,
a civilization?
What
is unique about traditional Tibetan society and culture?
How
has Tibet and Tibetan culture changed since Chinese occupation?
Explain
the People's Republic of China's claim that Tibet is part
of China.
Explain
the Tibetan Government in exile's claim to independence.
How
has the Dalai Lama's approach to resolving the conflict in
Tibet, and the issue of Tibet's independence, differed from
the approach taken by the Chinese government?
What
similarities can you notice between traditional Tibetan culture
and traditional culture of native peoples of the Americas?
What do these peoples have in common in the way they were
colonized? What current political, economic, social and religious
issues do both the Tibetan and American Indian situations
share?
Before
1950, Tibet was able to maintain one of the last few traditional
ancient civilizations. Explain why.
What
have The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government in exile, and
exiled Tibetans done to preserve their cultural heritage and
maintain their struggle for Tibet's independence?
Make
connections between the Tibet-China conflict and that of other
global conflicts.
Why
do you think so much of the world knows so little about the
Tibetan situation? Why is the Tibetan situation is not a prominent
issue in international politics?
What
can we learn from Tibetan culture and the Tibetan situation?
What
will be the future for Tibetans and Tibet?
Taken
from: Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook
for Educators, by Tibet Education Network © 1999 Global
Source Education (see
The Global Source Catalog)
Discussion
Questions for
the
Study of Modern Tibet
How
do you define the Tibetan issue?
What
is the People's Republic of China's claim to Tibet?
What
is China's interest in Tibet: historical & current?
How
do Tibetans define their claim to Tibet as an independent
nation?
What
makes a nation independent?
What
progress have the Chinese made in modernizing Tibet?
How
has Tibet changed (in the areas of geography, politics, culture,
religion, and economics) since 1959?
What
has been international reaction and response (political, economic,
human rights) to the Tibetan situation? Why have so few Heads
of State and official governments supported an independent
Tibet?
How
has the Chinese Government reacted to foreign intervention
or diplomacy on behalf of the Tibetan situation?
Define
Diaspora.
What
caused the Tibetan Diaspora?
How
have Tibetans in exile maintained their cultural heritage?
What
is life in exile like for a Tibetan?
Why
do Tibetans not have official refugee status from the United
Nations?
How
do young Tibetans in exile, who have never been to Tibet,
feel about their traditional homeland and the Tibetan Question?
Do all Tibetans feel the same about Chinese occupation?
What
is the current status of The Tibet Autonomous Region?
What
human rights abuses exist in Tibet?
How
does the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights relate
to the Tibetan issue?
How
has the United Nations reacted to and addressed the situation
in Tibet?
Can
Tibetans freely leave Tibet?
Can
exiles return to or visit Tibet?
What
is self-determination?
Are
Tibetans entitled to self-determination?
Should
the Chinese government leave Tibet?
How
would the Tibetan Government in exile structure an independent
Tibet?
What
changes would be made from pre-1959 Tibet?
What
has been the Tibetan reaction and response to Chinese occupation
(non-violence vs. guerrilla warfare)?
Is
adopting a non-violent approach a better way to work toward
conflict resolution?
What
is The Dalai Lama's position on conflict resolution?
What
organized efforts in India and the West exist to continue
the struggle for a free Tibet? What can American citizens
do to get involved ?
How
has the issue of trade and human rights affected American
foreign relations with China?
What
is the function of non-governmental organizations like the
International Campaign for Tibet?
How
can the situation in Tibet be a model for understanding larger
global issues?
What
other global conflicts are similar to the one between China
& Tibet?
How
has the global community reacted to these other situations?
What
do we have to learn from a better awareness of Tibetan culture,
Tibetan Buddhism and the current Tibetan situation?
Do you think it is possible to save Tibetan civilization from
extinction?
What
can you do to make a difference in the Tibetan situation?
Taken
from: Approaching Tibetan Studies: A Resource Handbook
for Educators, by Tibet Education Network © 1999 Global
Source Education (see
The Global Source Catalog)
