Nationalism And Ethnoregional Identities In China (routledge Studies In Nationalism And Ethnicity)

Western political scientists have tended to neglect the ethnic dimension in China, and have overemphasized the development from large empire to unified nation. This book brings together a number of case studies on the ethnic and regional dimensions of Chinese politics and society. "The present book brings together a number of case studies on the ethnic and regional dimensions of Chinese politics and society. Most of the contributors to this study use largely Chinese-language sources. Five are social anthropologists, and three (in addition to the editor) are political scientists. They provide in-depth analyses of Han relations with Mongolians and Muslims; the relations between the national government and selected provinces, especially after the 'Cultural Revolution'; the majority-minority interactions within provinces and the tensions within minority communities; the conflict between nationalism and Marxism and its impact on policies of culture and language; and attempts to balance the pressures for the legitimation of cultural diversity and for affirmative action with the imperatives of political unity."--Jacket Most western political scientists have tended to neglect the ethnic dimension in China, and have overemphasized the development from large empire to unified nation. This bias is partly due to the difficulty of mastering the Chinese language and even more, the generalized view of the People's Republic of China as a totalitarian communist regime focused on the unified state. Most of the contributors to this study use largely Chinese-language sources; five are social anthropologists, three are political scientists. The range of subjects covered includes religious relationships, language, public policy and culture. The essays in this volume will go some way towards remedying the neglect of the ethnic component of the Chinese polity and society.