The Druk Journal, now in its tenth year, is contributing to Bhutan’s growth as a democracy and as a modern nation. It is becoming an increasingly vibrant public space in which we encourage our contributors to expand our national discourse by introducing new ideas and concepts into the Bhutanese conversation.
Through regular publications, an interactive website, and open discussions after each edition, we engage Bhutanese society in conversation so that all citizens can exchange open and frank views on national policies and issues relevant to Bhutan.
The Druk Journal hopes, not only to inform citizens, but to build a community of people who will take an active role, individually and collectively, in the development of analytical attitudes toward national policies. It is our hope that participation in such a community will encourage individuals to engage in policy research that can be made available to the government and larger Bhutanese society.
The Druk Journal thus serves as a vehicle for the development of a community of people who are concerned about national issues and want to participate in the development of policy by thinking publicly and through conversation. Such a community of thinkers will also draw on the experience of other countries in those areas of political, social, economic and cultural experimentation that are relevant to our own concerns.
The Druk Journal is a nonpartisan publication. Our purpose is to serve national interest through the development of serious conversation on issues from every possible constructive point of view. We have no editorial position of our own. We believe that our stated objectives and the means we use to achieve them are the best way we can serve our country and His Majesty the King.
Each edition of The Druk Journal will focus on a particular theme. We invite the participation of all interested citizens and friends of Bhutan in this endeavour. We wish you Good Reading, Good Thinking, and Good Conversation.
The Druk Journal, an M & E Report (2015 – July 2021)
The impact of The Druk Journal was captured through a mix of report reviews, interviews, and survey questionnaires showing that TDJ has nurtured a public space for a cohort of people interested in the way Bhutanese politics, society and nation is developing. Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative, who has written for the Druk Journal and participated in several conversations said, “I think the Druk Journal is the only one in its category – promoting independent thinking, thought-provoking, and wide-ranging in terms of the topics it covers.”
The full Monitoring and Evaluation report is available here
Themes Covered
SL No | Theme | Volume, Issue | Year of Publication | Status |
1 | National Identity | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Spring 2015 | Published |
2 | Bhutanese State and Its Institutions | Volume 1, Issue 2 | Winter 2015 | Published |
3 | Bhutan & Modernity: Responding to Change | Volume 2, Issue 1 | Summer 2016 | Published |
4 | Youth Matters | Volume 2, Issue 2 | Winter 2016 | Published |
5 | Towards a Sustainable Development | Volume 3, Issue 1 | Summer 2017 | Published |
6 | Civil Society in Bhutan | Volume 3, Issue 2 | Winter 2017 | Published |
7 | Democratisation of Bhutan | Volume 4, Issue 1 | Spring 2018 | Published |
8 | Transforming Bhutan’s Economy | Volume 4, Issue 2 | Winter 2018 | Published |
9 | Educating Bhutan | Volume 5, Issue 1 | Spring 2019 | Published |
10 | Tourism in Bhutan | Volume 5, Issue 2 | Winter 2019 | Published |
11 | Bhutan in the Age of Technology | Volume 6, Issue 1 | Spring 2020 | Published |
12 | Urban Bhutan – the Story | Volume 6, Issue 2 | Autumn 2020 | Published |
13 | Bhutan After the COVID-19 Crisis | Volume 7, Issue 1 | Spring 2021 | Published |
14 | Bhutanese Youth-Their Aspirations, Concerns, And Mandate | Volume 7, Issue 2 | Autumn 2021 | Published |
15 | Democracy Today | Volume 8, Issue 1 | Spring 2022 | Published |
16 | Local Government- Critical to Democratic Governance | Volume 8, Issue 2 | Autumn 2022 | Published |
17 | Ensuring Mental Well-being in Bhutan | Volume 9, Issue 1 | Spring 2023 | Published |
18 | Politics and Elections in Bhutan | Volume 9, Issue 2 | Autumn 2023 | Published |
19 | An Era of Transformation | Volume 10, Issue 1 | Spring 2024 | Published |
20 | A Just and Harmonious Society | Volume 10, Issue 2 | Autumn 2024 | Published |