Research
This semester I have a Special Topic course as part of my honours degree schedule. It is entitled "Research Methods in Chinese Civilisation" and is basically aimed at equipping students to write a research paper for publication in the field of Chinese Studies.
My chosen subject is, at this stage, on Ethnopolitics in China ... that is, the relationship between politics and China's ethnic nationalities (minorities, in particular).
China has 56 officially recognised ethnic nationalities; the majority group are the Han, making up approximately 94% of the population. The rest are 55 ethnic minorities, mostly located in the frontier regions of China (North-West, North-East, West and South-West).
The research will involve looking at China's policies towards ethnic minorities, in terms of both theory and practice, as well as issues of national identity, culture shift, effects of modernisation and globalisation, etc. These issues will then be linked to movements of integration, assimilation and secession among ethnic minorities.
That's the general idea so far! A bit vague, I know, but it will all get narrowed down in due time.
My chosen subject is, at this stage, on Ethnopolitics in China ... that is, the relationship between politics and China's ethnic nationalities (minorities, in particular).
China has 56 officially recognised ethnic nationalities; the majority group are the Han, making up approximately 94% of the population. The rest are 55 ethnic minorities, mostly located in the frontier regions of China (North-West, North-East, West and South-West).
The research will involve looking at China's policies towards ethnic minorities, in terms of both theory and practice, as well as issues of national identity, culture shift, effects of modernisation and globalisation, etc. These issues will then be linked to movements of integration, assimilation and secession among ethnic minorities.
That's the general idea so far! A bit vague, I know, but it will all get narrowed down in due time.
6 Comments:
Now I know the right answers to poll :) Hehe I'm commenting on your blog but you are just down the hallway from me!
You don't know ALL the answers
Correction sorry: about 91% of the population is Han, according to the 1990 census. This is likely to have changed, due to differing birth rates between minorities and the Han. The 1990 census recorded a population of 91 million official minority people (that being 9% of China's total population)
statistics cited from Gladney, Dru C. Dislocating China: Muslims, Minorities, and other Subaltern Subjects. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004.
That actually sounds really interesting! (despite the fact my head would drop off while trying to read an honours thesis :P). I'm reading Jung Chang's biography of Mao at the mo... it'd be curious to see if/how that phase of China's history effected such policies and treatment of minority groups. Hmmmm...
Yup. Good issue Christina. Actually, before 1949, the Nationalist Party, although they recognised 5 main ethnicities in China, they did little to help them develop and express their own identity, and were in general not treated well. When the Communist Party came to power in 1949 and established the People's Republic of China, they established a minority policy in order to ensure equality between ethnic nationalities. The idea of 'integration' of minorities was key. Thus in general, ethnic minorities fared better initially under the Communist regime. However, in the Cultural Revolution (1966 - 76), many minority peoples were suppressed because of their religion, customs & traditions, etc. After the death of Mao, however, policy implementation began to be re-emphasised.
There are differences in the situations of the various minorities ... some minorities, such as Tibetan and Ugyhur, have had secession movements over the past few decades, and thus according to a number of scholars, the minority policy and implementation has largely to do with maintaining China's unity.
Yup. Good issue Christina. Actually, before 1949, the Nationalist Party, although they recognised 5 main ethnicities in China, they did little to help them develop and express their own identity, and were in general not treated well. When the Communist Party came to power in 1949 and established the People's Republic of China, they established a minority policy in order to ensure equality between ethnic nationalities. The idea of 'integration' of minorities was key. Thus in general, ethnic minorities fared better initially under the Communist regime. However, in the Cultural Revolution (1966 - 76), many minority peoples were suppressed because of their religion, customs & traditions, etc. After the death of Mao, however, policy implementation began to be re-emphasised.
There are differences in the situations of the various minorities ... some minorities, such as Tibetan and Ugyhur, have had secession movements over the past few decades, and thus according to a number of scholars, the minority policy and implementation has largely to do with maintaining China's unity.
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