Tibet: History, Culture, and Religion
Course Overview
Course No. 30390
Dispel Western myths and discover the complex reality of Tibet through 24 illuminating lectures with Professor Constance Kassor.
This course explores:
- Tibet’s geopolitical struggles under Chinese rule
- The development of unique Buddhist traditions
- Ancient dynasties and language formation
- Nomadic lifestyles and cultural preservation
- The Dalai Lama’s role past and future
Video Lectures
01: Life at the Roof of the World (11 min)
Debunk “Shangri-la” myths and introduce Tibet’s geopolitical complexities.
02: When the Dalai Lama Broke with China (23 min)
Analyze the 1951 annexation and 14th Dalai Lama’s exile.
03: The Birth of Buddhism’s Gelug Sect (22 min)
Trace Tsongkhapa’s 14th-century founding of the Dalai Lamas’ tradition.
04: The Zhang Zhung and Yarlung Dynasties (17 min)
Investigate Tibet’s early kingdoms and the mysterious Dunhuang texts.
05: Tibetan Prehistory in Folktales (20 min)
Explore the million-line Epic of Gesar and trickster Aku Tonpa stories.
06: How Tibetan Language Invented an Empire (22 min)
Discover how 7th-century King Songtsen Gampo created written Tibetan.
07: The Buddha and Four Noble Truths (23 min)
Understand Siddhartha’s enlightenment and core Buddhist teachings.
08: Christians, Muslims and Bonpos (26 min)
Examine Bön religion’s influence on Tibetan Buddhism and minority faiths.
09: Tibetan Tantra and Taboo (24 min)
Contrast public sutras with secretive tantric practices.
10: Tibetan Cuisine (20 min)
Sample yak-based dishes and high-altitude culinary adaptations.
11: What Makes Tibetan Buddhism Unique? (23 min)
Study the Three Dharma Kings’ Indian influences on local Buddhism.
12: Nyingma – Oldest Buddhist Sect (25 min)
Learn how Padmasambhava established Tibet’s first Buddhist school.
13: Tibetan Buddhism’s Revival (19 min)
Trace the faith’s resurgence after 9th-century persecution.
14: Reincarnation Tradition (22 min)
Understand tulku lineages like the Karmapas’ conscious rebirths.
15: Sakya Buddhism’s Family Rule (24 min)
Explore 1,000 years of Khön family religious leadership.
16: Tibetan Nomads Under China (21 min)
Document how resettlement programs disrupt ancient migratory patterns.
17: Festivals of Tibet’s Lunar Calendar (22 min)
Celebrate Losar (New Year) and covert protest traditions.
18: Mysterious Lives of Dalai Lamas (27 min)
Profile the 14th Dalai Lama’s Nobel-winning peace efforts.
19: Old Traditions in New Century (23 min)
Track the Dalai Lama institution from Gendun Drub to today.
20: WWII, China and the 14th Dalai Lama (26 min)
Relive the 1950 Chinese invasion and young Dalai Lama’s dilemma.
21: Tibetan Diaspora (17 min)
Follow 100,000 exiles preserving culture abroad.
22: Tibetan Art Survival (23 min)
Decode thangka paintings and banned religious iconography.
23: Future Without the Dalai Lama? (28 min)
Consider Tibet’s existential challenges after the 14th Dalai Lama.
24: History in 24 Questions (20 min)
Separate fact from fiction about the “Tibetan Book of the Dead.”

