Autonomy, Ethnicity, and Poverty in Southwestern China

Download or read book Autonomy, Ethnicity, and Poverty in Southwestern China written by C. Shih and published by Springer. This book was released on 2007-12-25 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chinese state reaches out to ethnic communities in three different channels of autonomy, ethnicity, and poverty. However, each of these channels designates a submissive position to ethnic citizenship. Amidst theoretical uncertainty on how the state has affected local communities, ethnic minorities can develop subjectivity. Through this, they can sincerely participate in the state's policy agenda, conveniently incorporate the state into the ethnic identity, give feedback to the state within the framework of official discourse, or hide behind the state to evade ethnic identification. Rather than finding a life outside the state, the ethnic communities can, in one way or another, position themselves inside the state.