China''s Tibet? : Autonomy or Assimilation

This groundbreaking book explores China's efforts to assimilate Tibet, in the process rewriting Tibetan history to conform to its own goals. Warren W. Smith Jr. argues that Beijing fears any genuine autonomy or dialogue with the Dalai Lama, convinced that it will fuel renewed nationalism in "China's Tibet," as the leadership calls its possession. Highlighting China's past and current propaganda on Tibet, the book demonstrates China's sensitivity regarding the legitimacy of its rule. In the absence of any solution, Smith advocates promoting Tibet's right to self-determination as the most viable strategy for sustaining international attention and maintaining the most essential elements of Tibetan national identity. This thoroughly informed work will be valuable not only to Tibet experts and students, but also to the larger world of Tibet activists, sympathizers, and others attempting to understand China's policies.