The Tibetan Independence Movement: Political, Religious and Gandhian Perspectives

by Jane Ardley

Overview

Tibet has been occupied for over fifty years, yet no progress has been made in solving the Tibetan problem. The first serious analysis of the Tibetan independence movement, this book is also the first to view the struggle from a comparative perspective, making an overt comparison with the Indian independence movement. It rectifies the problem that the Tibetan independence movement is not taken seriously from a political perspective. The book is particularly concerned with the relationship between Buddhism and Tibetan politics and resistance, comparing this with the relationship between Hinduism and Gandhian political thought. It also expands on the limited literature concerning violent resistance in Tibet, examining guerilla warfare and the hunger strike undertaken by the Tibetan Youth Congress in 1998, rejecting the 'Shangri-la-ist' approach to Tibetan resistance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135790240
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/27/2003
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	312 KB

About the Author

Jane Ardley is a Lecturer in Politics in the School of Politics, International Relations and the Environment, Keele University. Her main areas of research and teaching are in contemporary Tibetan politics, democratisation in Asia, political sociology, Chinese politics, and Gandhian political thought.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1. Tibet: Religion, Resistance and the State 2. Resistance in Tibet: Violence and Exile 3. 'Our Demand is Cheap': Fasting for the Future of Tibet 4. 'My Life is My Message': The Gandhian Paradigm 5. Spirituality and Politics: The Gandhian and Tibetan Cases 6. The Indian Path to Independence: From Colonialism to Nationalism 7. Toward Partition in India: Lessons for Politics and Religions Conclusion - Political Lessons for Tibet