Tibetan communities across China are undergoing rapid and potentially irreversible social, economic and cultural changes. This book presents new perspectives on the current situation of Tibetans and provides a baseline for assessing the magnitude and direction of future changes. From a range of disciplinary perspectives the authors provide original analyses based on first hand fieldwork and a careful scrutiny of official documents and data as they examine three key aspects of Tibet's development: pastoral production labor and social policy. This collection of essays represents the most up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of development transitions on the Tibetan Plateau, and forms an important contribution to development studies of contemporary societies undergoing rapid change within China.