The China Beat has had a month-long series on overlooked and recommended readings on Τibet, with noted professor Robert Barnett of Colombia University adding his own list this past weekend. It’s a good series and a great list.
Frankly, though, I’m in the midst of “Τibet fatigue,” there’s a lot of good material out there on the subject, but also a lot of crap, and the polemics and grandstanding on both sides of this emotionally-charged issue, much of it just noise without thought or blind loyalties and parochialism, remind me more of the bleachers at a Red Sox-Yankees game than learned discourse.
I do however get drawn into the same basic conversation with Han acquaintances…seemingly all the time.*
A: You teach Chinese history?
GS: Yes.
A: In Beijing? Really?
GS: Well, I teach students from American universities.**
A: Ah! (relieved) That makes sense. (Furrowed brow) What do you teach about Τibet? Do you teach your students that Τibet has ALWAYS been part of China?
GS: No.
A: Why not!?!?!
GS: Well, I’m not a paleontologist, so I can’t be sure about the relationship between Τibetan and Chinese dinosaurs during the Triassic through Cretaceous Periods of the Mesozoic Era…
A: You