Education and identity construction in a post-revolutionary context: the uighur in post-maoist china and the kazakhs under late soviet socialism)

Education and Identity Construction in a Post-revolutionary Context: the Uighur in Post-Maoist China and the Kazakhs Under Late Soviet Socialism) In this thesis I have approached the case of education system in Xinjiang autonomous prefecture and its effects on Uyghur minority. The goal of thesis is to explain how different models of different public schools affects the ethnic boundaries and identity of Uyghur minority. To achieve that several different methodologies is used. Firstly, case analysis is conducted. Later I bring in comparative approach to Kazakhs in late soviet socialism. The huge similarities between situations of Uyghurs and Kazakhs are introduced in this thesis, comparative approach helps to explain the situation in Xinjiang in a clearer and more elaborate way. In the last paper I present my analysis of texts that are used in textbooks of Chinese language. I apply my findings in Andreas Wimmer’s “Multilevel process theory” This theory provides more sophisticated approach to evaluate how ethnic boundaries was formed in this region and why the current characteristics of ethnic boundaries exists. The findings of this thesis constitutes that China’s education policies in Xinjiang are used to accelerate process of assimilation, also that school system in Xinjiang produced new ethnic boundaries between Uyghurs themselves. The comparative approach suggests that Uyghurs are more persistent to sinification than Kazakhs were to russification. Applying of “Multilevel process theory” indicates that China’s strategies of boundary making in a region are not working and if there is to be any decrease of tension between Hans and Uyghurs it will be only when current strategies are radically changed. This paper could be useful as a jump start for a research that focuses on ethnic boundaries of Xinjiang region, also it can provide help of understanding China’s assimilation and education strategies. Moreover the theoretical framework that I applied in this thesis can be used in many different situations of construction of ethnic boundaries. In thesis I provide thorough Summary of Wimmer’s theory, and provide example how it could be applied to empirical material