The document summarizes research on generational differences in the Tibetan diaspora community in Dharamsala, India. Interviews with 30 Tibetan youth (Generation Y) and older adults (Generation O) found differences in views on religion, language/culture, and politics. While older generations expressed "blind faith" in Buddhism and the Dalai Lama, younger people were more skeptical and wanted separation of church and state. Youth also faced a lack of opportunities to express political views or enact change. The research has implications for education policy and NGO outreach to better empower Tibetan youth.

1. TIBETAN DIASPORA:
PERSPECTIVE OF YOUTH
Tenzin Seldon

2. The UN defines youth as people between the ages
of 15 and 24 years

3. 1.2 billion youth in the
world
18% of the world’s population
62% reside in Asia

5. History of Tibet
 1959:

6. 1959: Destruction
 In March of 1959, a
mass Tibetan
uprising
 6,000 monasteries
destroyed
 1.2 million innocent
people killed

7. Escape
80,000 Tibetans fled, following Dalai
Lama

8. 1960-1990:
Reconstruction
 Tibetans made an effort to
increase international
awareness about the situation
inside
 Set up:
 Central Tibet Administration
 Education system
 Economic, political, and
spiritual institutions

9. Refugee Community
 Total 150,000 Tibetans in the total Diaspora
 120,000 refugees remain in India today
 Rest 30,000 live in Nepal, Bhutan, Europe,
and America
 ‘Model refugees’

10. Youth
 2009 Demographic Survey:
 62% under 34 years old
 26,000 students Tibetan schools
 DoE oversees a network of 73 schools
 Central School for Tibetans (28 schools), Tibetan
Children’s Village (18 schools), Sambhota (12
schools), Snow Lion Foundation (12 schools in
Nepal) and Tibetan Homes Foundation (3
schools)

12. Empowerment
“to provide opportunities for young people to
develop the competencies they need to
become successful contributing members
of their communities”
(Pittman & Wright,1991)

13. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROCESS
STIMULI
PROCESS
information sharing
education
training
voice giving
...
citizen awareness
Self-esteem
RESULTS
...
participatory democracy
society
religion
politics
culture
economy

14. Research Question
 What are the main intergenerational
differences in the Tibetan refugee community
in Dharamsala, India?

15. Diaspora/Transnational Identity
 A dispersion of a people from their original
homeland.
 Stuart Hall:
 One group with shared culture and a shared
history or ancestry.

16. Methods
 Qualitative, community-based participatory
research
 30 individual and focus group interviews
 Generation Definitions
 Generation Y (young) – 15-35
 Generation O (old) – 60+
Generation Y
Generation O

17. Field sites
Interview
Scholarshi
p

18. Global Phenomenon
 Larger generational conflict globally
Work (problem-solving, management)
 Related intergenerational conflict in Hmong,
Vietnamese, Indian and other Southeast
refugee communities

19. Findings
 Religion
 Language and Culture
 Political

20. Religious Differences
 ‘Blind faith’ of adults in Buddhism and Dalai
Lama
 Yeshi: “My father and so many of our older folks have
too much faith in His Holiness, the Dalai Lama to
solve every problem… and it sometimes makes me
think that this type of blind faith is detrimental to any
form of true democracy in our society”
 Dolma: “yes, we students don’t agree with this type of
blind faith, we have our own opinions…”
 Religious figure as political head stifle
democracy

21. Language and Cultural
Differences
 Who is your role model?
“Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber…”
 Increasingly difficult to communicate
 Effects of modernization (pervasiveness of
technology)

22. Political Differences
 Youth facing apathy – lack of empowerment
(institutional and private)
 “I have no way to express myself and there are not
many leaders in our community who represents my
ideas…you know? We can’t change anything either”
 Freedom vs. autonomy
 Separation of church and state

23. Implications
 Policy impact
 Education curriculum
 NGO outreach
 Domestic policy
 Future scholarship

24. Public Service Plan
 To use dialogue as a powerful and dynamic
tool which enriches community building and
solidarity.
 Set a dialogue goal of 30-50 diverse
intergenerational participants.

25. Questions?