HIST 349Tibet: History, Religion, and Myth

Tibet: the rooftop of the world. The land of Tibet has occupied a contested zone between history and myth for hundreds of years, from a proud Central Asian empire to a Buddhist hermit kingdom, and from a mystical Land of Snows to a militarized ethnic and religious region of China today. In this course we will confront myths, religion, political controversies, and the country's portrayal in popular culture, in search of the historical Tibet. Learning activities may include active discussion of readings and films, a debate project based on team research, short answer/essay exam(s), and a comprehensive historical analysis paper.