Being Tibetan: Internet and Public Identity among Tibetan Youth

In English The article focuses on the ways exiled Tibetan youth interact on the Internet. It is
argued that the discussions and debates on the Net not only communicate a sense of
unity, but that they strive to control the various expressions of Tibetan identity as
well. Internet has become an important arena for diasporic communities and must be
recognized for its creative potential. The core of the debates on sites like Phayul.com
relates to questions such as: What constitutes Tibetan society? What does it mean to
be Tibetan? What is acceptable and what is not for contemporary Tibetans? It is argued
in this article that the interaction on the Internet should not be seen as only
upholding an already existing community, but rather as an arena where the discourse
on Tibet shapes the community to come.