Ethnicity and Identity in Xinjiang

Speaker: PANEL SPEAKERS: Thomas Mullaney, Assistant Professor of History, Stanford University Kasim Tuman, Council Member, Uyghur Association of America Azim Nanji, Senior Associate Director, Senior Associate Director In early July, violence erupted in China's far-western Xinjiang province between members of the Uyghur ethnicity, a Muslim minority group of Turkish origin, and Han Chinese. The violence in Xinjiang, which erupted almost purely along ethnic lines, highlighted questions of identity and ethnicity throughout China. In a nation of over 1.3 billion people and 56 ethnicities, what does it mean to be "Chinese"? Who are the Uyghurs and how do they fit into the conception of modern China? Outside of China, specifically, how do the Muslim Uyghurs fit into the broader context of greater Muslim identity? This panel hopes to address the political issues in the region through the lens of ethnicity and identity. Drawing from a wide variety of perspectives, including experts on modern China, the Uyghurs, and Muslim identity movements, this panel will clarify the issues and provide a greater understanding of the history, culture, and politics of the region.