Tibetan History Inside and Outside China

Department of South and Central Asia, Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation and Oriental Institute cordially invite you to attend a lecture by acclaimed historian and leading specialist on Tibetan-Chinese relations, prof. Elliot Sperling (Indiana University, Bloomington).

The history of Tibet has been particularly contentious since the early 20^th century, with several issues—not just those concerned with Tibet’s status—indicative of the different ways in which that history has been understood. The understanding of Tibetan history has at times been dependent upon non-Tibetan sources, often analysed with little to no reference to Tibetan historical writing. This talk will discuss some of the issues in Tibetan history, the ways that particular observers and scholars from outside Tibet, including those from China and the West, have viewed them, and the overall impact this has had in shaping our contemporary understanding of Tibetan history.