On popular demand, thread from first talk in the series by @dibyeshanand.
1/ We read ch. 3 of Geopolitical Exotica, "Colonisation with Chinese Characteristics: Politics of (in)security in #Xinjiang+ #Tibet," +his short piece on self-immolations in Tibet: https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/the-burning-issue/278727 https://twitter.com/ChawlaSwati/status/1283611951084388352

2/ Tibetan studies in: @dibyeshanand said he was glad to address students in. When he started off (late 90s+ early 2K), there weren't many scholars+ students ininterested in #Tibet.
Students @AshokaUniv @JindalGlobalUNI @sjcbengaluru @iitmadras @jamia+ others present y'day.

3/ Even at international fora like the #IATS conferences ( https://www.iats.info/previous-iats-conferences/), there were hardly any Indian scholars, and those who were there studied #Tibet solely as part of a putative larger Indian civilization, or subsumed w/in the security paradigm vis-a-vis China.

4/ @dibyeshanand encouraged us to create spaces w/in our universities for #Tibetan studies. Advantages: ease of travel to settlements+ access to archives. Plus, as Dibyesh said: "these people are living around you, and facing political extermination. You should be aware."

5/ Apropos of, some #Tibetan studies initiatives in India that I know of: Swargajyoti Gohain+ my courses @AshokaUniv+ @JindalGlobalUNI, @_SonikaGupta_+ @tibetscapes team @iitmadras, @SiddiqWahid @jabinjacobt+ Kaveri Gill @ShivNadarUniv, @aniketalam+ @amankantpanta @iiit_hyderabad.

6/ @dibyeshanand mentioned a paucity of archival materials+ access in. Towards that end, @nirmolasharma+ others @ics_delhi did valuable spadework of cataloguing materials. cc: @guo_xuguang.
@TenzinTsundue moderates "Tibet Studies" forum (~200 scholars) where we share resources.

7/ In response to a q, @dibyeshanand mentioned he was glad #Tibetan issue found coverage in Indian media after recent crises along #LAC, particularly @TenzinTsundue+ @Drlobsangsangay's interviews. But, the interest can be short-lived, and from a limited (Sino-Indian) perspective.

8/ In his long years of work w/in IR+ security studies spaces, @dibyeshanand found that those in Indian govt who consider India's support to @DalaiLama+ #Tibet a liability far outnumber those who consider them a security asset.
We will hear more from @TonyMathur55 on Aug 5.

9/ If writing Geopolitical Exotica today, @dibyeshanand would talk abt western imaginations of #Tibet in plural: US, EU, UK. China benefits from this: “divide and neutralize"; did that w/ formerly colonized east European countries w/h had generally been more sympathetic to Tibet.

10/ q. on #Bhutan: Indian media is enemy of democracy. Ppl want friendship, not paternalistic older brother-younger brother attitude. cc: @shmueli @TenzingLamsang
In response to a q, @dibyeshanand shared that he hadn't faced homophobia among #TibetanBuddhist lamas+ @DalaiLama.

11/ #Tibetan movement+ protests worldwide are changing— now increasingly led by Tibetans, not just by white westerners, as was the case in @dibyeshanand's student days. Recent protest in #SanFrancisco saw high participation of African Americans and Han Chinese.
#TibetIsNotChina

12/ Finally, @dibyeshanand pointed out that ppl today are quick to do "cause-hopping." When @DalaiLama says something they disagree w/, they move to a different cause. But for the colonized, anti-colonialism is not a luxury.
Thanks again for getting us started, @dibyeshanand!