| ID | 147195 |
| Title Proper | Limits of diaspority in Central Asia |
| Other Title Information | contextualizing Dungan's multiple belongings |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Jimenez-Tovar, Soledad |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article shows different ways of defining, understanding and performing ‘diaspority’ in the border region of Kordai (Kazakhstan) and Tokmok (Kyrgyzstan). Taking the example of Dungan people, as the Sinophone Muslims are known in Central Asia, both academic and political definitions of the concept of ‘diaspora’ are compared. This ethnographic account problematizes Kazakhstani Shaanxi Dungan ‘diaspority’. Together with this, the political definitions of ‘diaspora’ are also analysed. I show that while in China and Kazakhstan the definitions of the Dungans as a ‘diaspora’ of ‘China’ are somewhat complementary, once the Shaanxi Dungan emic perspective is taken into account, this concept becomes rather problematic. The kinds of diaspority defined by the states involved are ways of implementing particular cultural hegemonies that legitimate the two political regimes analysed in this article. Concurrently, this dual diaspority is used by the Dungan people in distinct ways in defining their own identities. Nevertheless, I show in this article that the ‘Chinese card’ is not necessarily played by all Dungans. Moreover, there are some Dungans for whom ‘Chinese-ness’ is not even relevant. |
| `In' analytical Note | Central Asian Survey Vol. 35, No.3; Sep 2016: p. 387-404 |
| Journal Source | Central Asian Survey Vol: 35 No 3 |
| Key Words | China ; Kazakhstan ; Diaspora ; Zheng He ; Minzu ; Dungan ; Ethnic Engineering |