Contestation and Adaptation

The Politics of National Identity in China

Enze Han

New theoretical framework to explain why some minority groups strongly identify as such while others attempt to assimilate within the ethnic majority group
Attempts to present a holistic picture of China's ethnic minority politics that is also entrenched within the broader literature on ethnic politics in the field of political science

Contestation and Adaptation

The Politics of National Identity in China

Enze Han

Description

Contestation and Adaptation unravels the complexities of national-identity contestation among various ethnic minority groups in China. It focuses on the interactions between domestic and international forces that inform ethnic groups' national-identity contestation, positing a theoretical framework where international factors play a significant role in determining why and when ethnic groups will contest the national identities imposed on them by central governments as part of the nation-building process.

Simmering grievances and occasional outbursts of social unrest among ethnic minority populations in China challenge not only the ruling party's legitimacy and governance, but also contemporary Chinese national identity and the territorial integrity of the Chinese state. But, as Enze Han points out, of the fifty-five ethnic minority groups in China, only the Tibetans and Uyghurs have forcefully contested the idea of a Chinese national identity. He argues that whether ethnic groups contest those national identities depends on whether they perceive a better, achievable alternative. In particular, Han argues that ethnic groups with extensive external kinship networks are most likely to perceive a capacity to achieve better circumstances and are, therefore, more likely to politically mobilize to contest national identity. In the absence of such alternatives ethnic groups are more likely to cope with their situation through emigration, political ambivalence, or assimilation. Using this theoretical framework, the book compares the way that five major ethnic minority groups in China negotiate their national identities with the Chinese nation-state: Uyghurs, Chinese Koreans, Dai, Mongols, and Tibetans.

Overall, Contestation and Adaptation sheds light on the nation-building processes in China over the past six decades and the ways that different groups have resisted or acquiesced in their dealings with the Chinese state and majority Han Chinese society.

Contestation and Adaptation

The Politics of National Identity in China

Enze Han

Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: National Identity Contestation and Adaptation in China
Chapter 2: Politics of Nation-Building in China in Historical Perspective
Chapter 3: National Identity Contestation Among the Uyghurs
Chapter 4: Emigration and Fragmentation of the Chinese Koreans
Chapter 5: Ambiguities of National Identity among the Mongols
Chapter 6: Cultural Revival and National Identity Adaptation among the Dai
Chapter 7: The International Dimension of the Tibet Question
Chapter 8: Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Contestation and Adaptation

The Politics of National Identity in China

Enze Han

Author Information

Enze Han is Senior Lecturer in International Security of East Asia at the Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS, University of London.

Contestation and Adaptation

The Politics of National Identity in China

Enze Han

Reviews and Awards

"[Han] not only provides a detailed portrayal of five ethnic groups within China but also outlines a thesis where he assesses whether an ethnic group will seek political contestation or adaptation. The book, based on his dissertation, considers the impact of two international factors in ethnic political mobilization." --China Review International factors in ethnic political mobilization.

"With extensive notes and bibliography, this is a valuable addition to the literature and belongs in college and university libraries with significant East Asian holdings." --CHOICE

"Professor Han provides a subtle and learned analysis of ethnic political mobilization and internal conflict in contemporary China. His innovative theoretical approach-combining international and domestic factors-explains why rebellion against Beijing's rule has largely been limited to two of China's many ethnic minorities. This important book will be of great interest to students of comparative politics, international relations, and Asian studies."--Thomas J. Christensen, William P. Boswell Professor of World Politics of Peace and War and Director of the China and the World Program, Princeton University

"Why is Chinese rule contested in Xinjiang and Tibet? In this smart, thought-provoking new book, Enze Han seeks to answer this question by exploring the international dimension in national identity contestation and adaption in China. Unlike the rich literature on domestic factors, this book breaks important new ground by demonstrating how transnational factors, namely comparative wellbeing and external support, lead many Uyghurs and Tibetans to resist Chinese sovereignty while other ethnic minority groups embrace elements of Chinese national identity."--James Leibold, La Trobe University

"... a useful addition to our understanding of the relationship between the Chinese state and its ethnic minorities." -- Martin Laflamme, Embassy of China, Beijing, China