Synopses & Reviews
Most western political scientists have tended to neglect the ethnic dimension in China, and have overemphasised the development from large empire to unified nation. Although in terms of racial characteristics and a common written language the Chinese are an integral people in the 'organic sense' and thus are 'capable' of being a nationstate, the fact is that the People's Republic of China (PRC), like the Chinese Empire before it, has included Tibetans, Mongols, Manchus, and Turki and other Muslims. Most of the contributors to this study use largely Chinese-Language sources; five are social anthropologists, three are political scientists.
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
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.