Gender in Exile - A Field Study on Gender Equality in Tibetan Society

Abstract

The thesis is based on a field study carried out in India, Nepal and Tibet during the period of June?August 2005. It examines gender structures in Tibetan society and seeks to explain the background and reasons to existing social and political structures. The object is to call attention to general conclusions regarding equality gathered in the field by focusing on social efficiency rather than ideology or normative values. The purpose is to shed light on a set of arguments in favour of gender equality that may be applied on other cases than the Tibetan. The experience made is that equality is instrumental in making effective use of resourses and capabilities within a society and and that gender therefore is a crucial part of development strategy. An underlying purpose of the presentation is to change the way that both Tibetan society and gender are thought of in Western research and literature.