Tibetan Pastoralists and Development
Negotiating the Future of Grassland Livelihoods
Edited by Andreas Gruschke Edited by Ingo Breuer
Hardback (Published)
(April 2017)
ISBN: 9783954902422
Price: $119.00
Out of stock
The present volume discusses the question of possible futures of Tibetan pastoralism. Taking a perspective informed by the ‘Sustainable Livelihood’ approach, it presents a selection of current perspectives on these recent transformations and on their specific impact on local pastoral livelihoods on the ground. Its fifteen chapters, written by Tibetan, Han Chinese and Western scholars from the social and environmental sciences, offer field-work based local case studies that illustrate the complex roles of the (Chinese) state, of (new) markets, and of rangeland resources in the making of both the present and the future of the plateau’s pastoral livelihoods.
The Tibetan plateau constitutes the world’s vastest high-altitude rangeland. It has featured a unique pastoralist culture where, based on yak and sheep production, on complex exchange systems with agricultural areas and the lowlands, and in the context of ever-changing political conditions, pastoralists developed livelihood systems that helped them adapt not only to the harsh environmental conditions, but also to the ever-changing political and economic trends. The 20th century, most prominently the plateau’s ever closer integration into the Chinese state, has brought profound changes to pastoral Tibetans. It has opened the plateau to the influence of a wide array of policies directed at ‘developing’, modernizing, and recently urbanizing the Tibetan pastoral areas. It has also connected even the remotest community to the booming Chinese markets and – indirectly – the world market. Pastoral communities, thus, are being opened up to new economic opportunities, exposed to new risks and integrated into increasingly complex commodity chains. Local consequences of climate change, the demographic transition, new lifestyles and consumption patterns, and new forms of wealth/poverty and social polarization further complicate the picture. The present volume discusses the question of possible futures of Tibetan pastoralism. Taking a perspective informed by the ‘Sustainable Livelihood’ approach, it presents a selection of current perspectives on these recent transformations and on their specific impact on local pastoral livelihoods on the ground. Its fifteen chapters, written by Tibetan, Han Chinese and Western scholars from the social and environmental sciences, offer field-work based local case studies that illustrate the complex roles of the (Chinese) state, of (new) markets, and of rangeland resources in the making of both the present and the future of the plateau’s pastoral livelihoods.
- Edited by Andreas Gruschke
- Edited by Ingo Breuer
"(...) the volume is admirably thorough in its coverage of issues, provides very informative data and delivers a coherent set of arguments about the need to take Tibetan herders' perspectives, experiences and knowledge seriously, and about Tibetan herders'agency in shaping future drokpa trajectories. The volume's inclusion of many Tibetan authors is also a definitive strength. In sum, it will be of great interest to those new to the field of contemporary Tibetan pastoralism as well as a handy reference for seasoned researchers and practitioners." Emily T. Yeh, Nomadic Peoples 22 (2018), S. 378-381
—
„(...) the volume is admirably thorough in its coverage of issues, provides very informative data and delivers a coherent set of arguments about the need to take Tibetan herders’ perspectives, experiences and knowledge seriously, and about Tibetan herders’<br/>agency in shaping future drokpa trajectories. The volume’s inclusion of many Tibetan authors is also a definitive strength. In sum, it will be of great interest to those new to the field of contemporary Tibetan pastoralism as well as a handy reference for seasoned researchers and practitioners.“<br/><br/>Von Emily T. Yeh<br/>In: Nomadic Peoples 22 (2018), S. 378-381
—
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