Abstract
This chapter analyses the role of the Gross National Happiness (GNH) governance framework in shaping power dynamics in the implementation of Bhutan’s tourism policy. It argues that the political dynamics of the policy implementation process are a mix of conflict, cooperation, and isolation among state, private sector, civil society, and donor actors. No single actor dominates the process. Moreover, these actors rarely use the GNH-specific policy tools and do not share a common understanding of GNH itself. A common commitment to the Buddhist-inspired cultural values that underlie GNH nonetheless shapes the actions of governance actors in a manner consistent with GNH. The result is policy outcomes that generally reflect original GNH policy intentions.
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Schroeder, K. (2018). The Last Shangri-La?. In: Politics of Gross National Happiness. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65388-4_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65388-4_4
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