Abstract

This study examines the processes through which a small group of Tibetans in Montreal constructs a sense of community identity in exile. I argue that membership in the extended, transnational organization, the Tibet Movement, provides the framework within which these processes take place. The incorporation of non-Tibetans, the role of technology, and the part played by the Tibetan government-in-exile and, in particular, that of the Dalai Lama are significant elements in sustaining community identity. The notion of immigrants retaining links with their home country, let alone their previous countries of settlement, contradicts many of our traditional perceptions of immigration, migration and community. To assist me explain what is happening here, I look at recent theories on transnationalism and diaspora. With its unique history, though, the Tibetan case cannot be encompassed by more recent theoretical models. I therefore draw on existing approaches but find it necessary to move beyond them so as to capture the complexities and dynamics of Tibetan transnational connections.