The Link Between Bhutanese Sense Of Belonging And The Desire To Go Abroad

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2022-08-09

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en

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The individual's perceived and imagined sense of belongingness is shaped by various factors. The academic literature in the Himalayan region analysed the concept of sense of belongingness, but lacks to do this in relation to the outward movement of the most productive segment of society. To findings to the question “What is the relationship between the factors comprising Bhutanese sense of belonging and the desire to work or study abroad?” show that the presented dominant narrative of what it takes to be Bhutanese is socially constructed, but remains to be a lived reality, and is therefore real in its nature. This shared lived reality resembles a transnational attachment to Bhutan, which moves away from the attachment to the physical space towards an emotional and perceived attachment to the place. Although globalisation links to cultural interconnectedness, Bhutanese present their sense of belonging as a motivating factor and desire to return to Bhutan, which is a perceived transnational attachment to the place. The utopian image of Bhutan is criticised based on the researchers own experience of getting a research cancelled, which reveals the power structures in Bhutan.

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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen