ABSTRACT
Genocide is a series of long-term processes emerging from “states of emergency” to convert targeted groups and secure the nation. This paper builds on Critical Genocide Studies literature to historically contextualize China’s “fusion” policy, a narrative of emergency officially explaining extra-legal internment camps and inter-generational separation in Xinjiang. Although China’s policymakers traditionally frame “one-nation-one-state thinking” as Western colonialism, critical approaches to Chinese politics show the party-state frames ethnic identities through colonial binaries of backward/modern and savagery/civilization. How does the party-state’s “historic mission” to overcome colonial “humiliation” promote colonialism? The paper analyses how routine, dehumanizing official narratives of identity and danger enable genocides, conceptualized as planned processes of social death by attrition. It argues that contemporary “fusion” policy interweaves cultural superiority and ethnocentric developmentalism, seeking to resolve China’s “ethnic problem” and decolonize Xinjiang through social death of Turkic Muslims.
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Notes
6 “Sinicisation of religion” is now official policy. See: Xi (Citation2020).
8 Official translation of minzu changed from “nationality” to “ethnicity” during the 1990s to avoid associations with self-determination. Minzu does not entail self-identification and Chinese scholars prefer it left untranslated.
9 Ethnic integration models contrast cultural pluralism (maintenance of difference alongside social inclusion) and assimilation (minorities adopt dominant culture). See: Giddens and Sutton (Citation2017).
17 See: Yue (Citation2007). Also, see: Bingtuan Jingshen, chapter 1. This party-state training manual teaches official Chinese history in Xinjiang.
24 These are standardised slogans on China’s ancient and progressive “settler culture” (tunken wenhua). See: State Council (Citation2014a).
32 Ethnic Unity Education Board (EUAB) (Citation2009); Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Government (XUAR) (Citation2009).
58 UN (Citation1948) art. 2. See Clark (Citation2015) on how establishing “intent” requires evidence of planning not control.
62 The Xinjiang Ministry of Education announced “Bilingual Education” policy in 2004, denoting adoption of Mandarin as medium-of-instruction, except four hours per-week minority literature studies for non-Han students. See: Schluessel (Citation2007).
80 Leaders still explain policy and Han behaviour towards Uyghurs through “chess thinking” to maintain control of non-Han frontiers. See: Li (Citation2014).
85 Zhonghua Renmingongheguo Minzu Diquyu Zizhifa (Citation2001).
88 SEAC (Citation2009, 2–8, 56–97). Tunken wenhua literally translates as “station-troops-to-open-up-wasteland” culture.
124 MOI (Ministry of Information, Theoretical Department) (Citation2009).
127 Armed police distributed wooden truncheons to Han rioters attacking Uyghurs. See: UHRP (Citation2011).
137 It is common practice for rural families across China to find seasonal work, leaving children in grandparents’ care.
147 XVD records over 13,000 detainment cases. Reasons listed here draw solely from “exemplary entries”, verified by multiple witnesses and written in detail: https://shahit.biz/eng/#lists.
155 Interview with Aziz Isa, April 2021.
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