Securing China's Northwest Frontier: Identity and Insecurity in Xinjiang

David Tobin's study explores how official policy shapes identity and security dynamics in Xinjiang following mass violence in 2009, combining ethnographic methodology with discourse analysis and participant-observation with in-depth interviews. He concludes that by treating Chinese identity as a security matter, the party-state exacerbates cycles of violence between Han and Uyghurs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In a groundbreaking study that brings together perspectives from the majority Han and minority Uyghur communities in Xinjiang following the widespread violence of July 2009, David Tobin delves into the intricate interplay between official policy and identity and security dynamics on China's northwest frontier. Through a comprehensive analysis, Tobin explores the unfolding events of 2009 and the responses of the party-state to understand how official identity narratives and security policies shape practices on the ground. By employing a multi-method approach that combines ethnographic methodology, discourse analysis, participant-observation, and in-depth interviews, Tobin examines how Han and Uyghurs interpret and reinterpret Chinese nation-building. His findings reveal that by treating Chinese identity as a security matter, the party-state exacerbates cycles of violence between Han and Uyghurs, who increasingly perceive each other as threats. This insightful study sheds light on the complex dynamics that underpin ethnic relations in Xinjiang and underscores the urgent need for a more inclusive and peaceful approach to address the underlying issues.

In a groundbreaking study that brings together perspectives from the majority Han and minority Uyghur communities in Xinjiang following the widespread violence of July 2009, David Tobin delves into the intricate interplay between official policy and identity and security dynamics on China's northwest frontier. Through a comprehensive analysis, Tobin explores the unfolding events of 2009 and the responses of the party-state to understand how official identity narratives and security policies shape practices on the ground. By employing a multi-method approach that combines ethnographic methodology, discourse analysis, participant-observation, and in-depth interviews, Tobin examines how Han and Uyghurs interpret and reinterpret Chinese nation-building. His findings reveal that by treating Chinese identity as a security matter, the party-state exacerbates cycles of violence between Han and Uyghurs, who increasingly perceive each other as threats. This insightful study sheds light on the complex dynamics that underpin ethnic relations in Xinjiang and underscores the urgent need for a more inclusive and peaceful approach to address the underlying issues.

Weight: 580g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108488402