Satirical Tibet : the politics of humor in contemporary Amdo / Timothy Thurston.

Author/creator Thurston, Timothy author.
Format Book
PublicationSeattle : University of Washington Press, [2025]
Descriptionxxiii, 207 pages ; 24 cm.
Subjects

SeriesStudies on ethnic groups in China
Studies on ethnic groups in China. ^A360790
Contents Introduction : doing Zurza -- Dokwa : "Eating the sides" in oral and literary traditions -- Khashag : language, print, and ethnic pride in the 1980s -- Khashag on air : solving social ills by radio in the 1990s -- Garchung : televised sketches and a cultural turn in the 2000s -- Zheematam : Tibetan hip-hop in the digital world -- Conclusion : the irrepressible trickster.
Abstract "Humor has long been a vital, if underrecognized, component of Tibetan life. In recent years, alongside well-publicized struggles for religious freedom and cultural preservation, comedians, hip-hop artists, and other creatives have used zurza, the Tibetan art of satire, to render meaningful social and political critique under the ever-present eye of the Chinese state. Here, Timothy Thurston offers the first-ever look at this powerful tool of misdirection and inversion. Focusing on the region of Amdo, Thurston introduces the vibrant and technologically innovative comedy scene that took shape following the death of Mao Zedong and the rise of ethnic revival policies. He moves decade by decade to show how artists have folded zurza into stage performances, radio broadcasts, televised sketch comedies, and hip-hop lyrics to criticize injustices, steer popular attitudes, and encourage the survival of Tibetan culture"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
LanguageText in English with passages in Amdo Tibetan preceded by the English translation.
Issued in other formOnline version: Thurston, Timothy. Satirical Tibet. Seattle : University of Washington Press, [2025] 9780295753126
LCCN 2024033913
ISBN9780295753119
ISBN9780295753102 hardcover
ISBN0295753102 hardcover
ISBN0295753110 paperback
ISBNelectronic book

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