Their dialect is the national language of Dzongka. The majority group, the Ngalop, is principally descended from Tibetan migrants and occupies most of the country. Their dialect is Sharchop, and the people tend to be somewhat darker and shorter than subsequent migrants. 6 The eastern region contains the oldest settled population of Tibeto-Burman, or Southeast Asian, origin. Typical for a strategically located transit zone, isolated but punctuated by accessible passes, Bhutan’s demographic makeup consists of three major groups. 2 Bhutan strives to steer a “middle way” (a frequently invoked phrase of Buddhist balance) and prove that geography is not destiny, learning from models such as Switzerland and Denmark how to prosper on the periphery of power. On Bhutan’s north, Tibet was swallowed up by China on its west, the sister Buddhist monarchy of Sikkim was inundated by Nepali immigrants and absorbed by India, while Nepal’s king was forced to abdicate, and an uneasy ceasefire with communist rebels remains unsettled. Three of Bhutan’s immediate neighbors suffered fates that in the twentieth century the little Thunder Dragon consciously seeks to avoid. Smaller countries near powerful nations-Afghanistan, Việt Nam, and Serbia are three historic examples-often become the center of geopolitical crises. Bhutan is wedged between China (Tibet) and India, a “yam between two boulders.” Source: Cartography by Mayur Gosai, UNCG, electronic file from Department of Geography, Sherubtse College, Bhutan.īhutan’s landlocked location in the high Himalayas permitted preservation of its Buddhist monarchical culture, but the rise to global power positions of neighboring China and India mark the country as a strategic Himalayan hinge. Striving for balance that preserves good traditional elements characterizes the general approach detailed in nine domains from ecology and psychology to education and living standards. Policy rests on the four pillar goals of a sustainable economy, good governance, and cultural and environmental preservation, as detailed later in this article. The core value of “collective happiness” comes from the traditional emphasis on community wellbeing, extended into the process of modernization as development without harming the environment or relationships. Known to its inhabitants as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” for the sound of its ferocious storms, Bhutan is probably best known to outsiders as the land of “Gross National Happiness” (GNH), an unusual development measure proposed by the king in 1972. Re-envisioning Asia: Contestations and Struggles in the Visual Arts.Distinguished Service to the Association for Asian Studies Award.Distinguished Contributions to Asian Studies Award.Striving for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Asian Studies: Humanities Grants for Asian Studies Scholars.Gosling-Lim Postdoctoral Fellowship in Southeast Asian Studies.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |