Buddhism, biomedicine, and happiness in the healing traditions of contemporary Bhuta

The purpose of this thesis is twofold: the first, to present a preliminary ethnography exploring medical pluralism in Bhutan, a topic previously unexamined in the country, and the second is to produce an ethnography of everyday life in one of the least known nations in the world. This study contributes to an understanding of concepts of health and available health care options in this Buddhist country. Pluralism characterizes many aspects of Bhutanese society and culture, including the health care system, which offers equal access to biomedicine and Tibetan medicine free of charge. Taking a highly contextual approach to the study of health care in contemporary Bhutan, this thesis examines medical pluralism within a larger socio-cultural and political framework, including Tibetan Buddhism, rapid culture change, a new and emerging class system, and a development policy referred to as Gross National Happiness.