TIBETAN MEDICINE

The History of Tibetan Medicine in Exile

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'This project will produce the first critical in-depth history of Tibetan medicine in exile from 1960 to the present, focusing particularly on the dynamics of its globalization, commoditization and pharmaceuticalization. The investigation will use a combination of historical and ethnographic research methods in order to document the past half-century of exile-Tibetan medicine's development at the interface of traditional knowledge, modern science, the global market and nationalist politics. The research objective is to trace Tibetan medicine's global spread (particularly to Europe) in the past few decades, and make it understandable to various audiences (academics, medical professionals, policy makers) by documenting its causes and dynamics. The aim is thus to provide a solid - and so far non-existent - basis for any academic, political or technological engagement with Tibetan medicine in particular, and other Asian medicines - like Ayurveda or Chinese medicine - in general. The results are expected to be published in the form of one book and several journal articles. The project draws from - and speaks to - a number of academic disciplines, including history of medicine, medical anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology, sociology, science and technology studies and Tibet studies. The proposed research will not only address an increasingly important public health issue in Europe (the rapid spread of alternative and complementary medicines), but also transfer cutting-edge knowledge on the globalization of Asian medicines to its European host and enhance European scientific excellence through several top-level academic publications.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Tracing the history of Tibetan medicine reveals groundbreaking information about how a healing tradition can serve as a path through exile.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Tibetan medicine is one of the oldest healing traditions in the world, having been in practice for thousands of years. Although it has made its way to the western world and increased in use and as an area of study, a gap of knowledge still remains. How and why did Tibetan medicine spread globally in recent years?

That is the question the EU-funded project 'The history of Tibetan medicine in exile' (TIBETAN MEDICINE) sought to answer. Its aim was to produce the first thorough exploration of Tibetan medicine in exile from 1960 to the present, using a critical history complete with ethnographic research.

Cultural preservation was the impetus of the Tibetan diaspora following the experience of trauma, occupation and loss. As such, ways to preserve national and cultural identity were vital. Tibetan medicine played a crucial role and needed to be authentic. Therefore, its reinvention was necessary in order to ensure it was free of adulteration.

This preservation process of Tibetan medicine in exile went through three 20-year phases starting in 1960.These phases were the focus of the study's analysis. It traces how traditional medicine, modern science and the global market meet and remain a common thread through each phase. It is quite likely that the upcoming movement will be toward ownership and intellectual property rights.

The results have been published in four articles in international academic journals that are free and accessible to the public as well as in six presentations/lectures. The project has also gained media coverage and has a website that has been successfully visited from people across the globe.