The New or the Old?: Examining the Impact of Urbanization and the Decline of Traditional Herding Livelihoods for Young Tibetans

Urbanization has been the central focus in mainland China, especially under state-driven aspirations of modernization. In Yushu, Qinghai, urbanization is reshaping the economic opportunities and future directions of young Tibetans as they transition into adulthood. At the same time, traditional herding, once a core livelihood and cultural practice in Tibetan communities, is in decline. These traditional herding communities are challenged by shifting government policies, climate change, and changing aspirations. This research explores how youth in Yushu are navigating these competing forces of tradition and modernity, and how their career paths and identities are being defined during this pivotal time. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study combines literature review, ethnographic observation, and a small case study involving questionnaires and interviews with Tibetan students and educators. The case study focuses on youth aged around 18 living in Yushu, Qinghai, and provides insights into different ways youth perspectives are shaped on future work and life. This research aims to fill a gap in existing scholarship by examining how different local perspectives interpret the transformation of livelihood and cultural expectations. The tension between tradition and modernity is a key driving force of this study, with emerging themes including urbanization, Tibetan youth, career aspiration, and herding decline. This allows a deeper understanding of how young Tibetans and their communities respond to changing development in Tibetan regions, revealing a nuanced redefinition of identity and future planning among Tibetan youth, specifically a revelation that urbanization doesn’t cause a linear progression of abandoning traditional lifestyles.