Geoff Childs Books

The book explores population regulation in traditional Tibetan societies through anthropology and demography, documenting the shift from high to low fertility rates. It presents case studies from historical Tibet, the Tibet Autonomous Region, Nepal, and Tibetan exile communities, linking fertility changes to family systems, economic strategies, and gender equity. The analysis highlights the influence of governmental and religious institutions, individual agency on reproductive outcomes, and the role of demographic data in contemporary political discussions.

What happens to a community when the majority of young people leave their homes to pursue an education? From a Trickle to a Torrent documents the demographic and social consequences of educational migration from Nubri, a Tibetan enclave in the highlands of Nepal. The authors explore parents’ motivations for sending their children to distant schools and monasteries, social connections that shape migration pathways, young people’s estrangement from village life, and dilemmas that arise when educated individuals are unable or unwilling to return and reside in their native villages. Drawing on numerous decades of research, this study documents a transitional period when the future of a Himalayan society teeters on the brink of irreversible change.