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St. Michael's College

Publication Date

Fall 12-1-2014

Program Name

Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

Abstract

Before the occupation of Tibet by China, there was very little in the way of an education system for lay people nor much thought of Tibetan culture and how it will be preserved. Yet, the loss of their homeland and exile has forced both of these issues to the forefront of the Tibetan agenda. The exile governing body, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), placed creating a universal education system for Tibetans in exile as one of their primary objectives early and through that education system the preservation of Tibetan culture and identity has taken place. This study looks at the effects an education system which teaches culture and attempts to preserve it as two of its stated primary objectives has on the formation of cultural identity in students. For this, two schools were reviewed, the Upper Dharamsala Tibetan Children’s Village (Upper TCV) represents the school in which Tibetan culture and language are instilled, and the Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School (SHSSS), which is a predominantly Indian, Christian private school, acts as the point of contrast. By reviewing the curriculum of the two schools in question, and conducting interviews with recent graduates of various schools, I hope to discover exactly what effect education has had on the participants’ cultural identities.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Curriculum and Social Inquiry | Educational Methods | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education

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