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Developing the Land and the People: Social Development Issues in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (1999–2009)

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Abstract

Social development in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from 1999 to 2009 is the focus of this article. I will explore the current situation among Uyghurs and Hans living in Xinjiang in different social contexts and purviews, mainly assessing problems and open questions hindering a balanced and consensus-based social development in the area. The concept of “development” per se will be understood with a critical perspective. The fieldwork was conducted in 2011 and 2012 in Urumqi, Turpan, Kahsgar, Wujiaqu and Shihezi, and in eight rural villages—seven located in the Kashgar Prefecture and one in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture. The opportunity to adopt an “insider perspective”, at the same time working with critical tools provided by the disciplines of sociology and anthropology, can be considered an important asset in the field of Xinjiang studies. My PhD research in China (2010–2013) and my work as consultant for KFW (2011–2012) have been of great help in adopting this approach. Interviews, participant observation and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from different sources are the basis of the fieldwork results presented here. UNDP indicators and indexes are taken as reference in setting and organising data.

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Notes

  1. For a review of the developments in modern Chinese sociology, see Bian et al. [5, 6] and Zhou and Pei [57].

  2. Scholars who have conducted relevant research studies based on extensive fieldworks in Xinjiang are, among the others, Yang Shenming, Ma Rong, Abduresit Jelil Qarluq, Ilham Tohti, Zulhayat Ismayil, Rahile Dawut, Yitzhak Shichor, Justin Rudelson, Micheal Dillon and Joanne Smith Finley.

  3. For instance, Uyghurs have a Turkic origin, while the Mosuo in Yunnan have Sino-Tibetan roots.

  4. The theoretical framework for our methodological understanding is mainly Feyereband [16, 17].

  5. In this specific case, the wording “sensitive” does not entail political sensitivity but mainly means that such issues cannot easily be researched for cultural, ethnic and traditional stigma.

  6. Xinjiang Centre for Disease Control, Xinjiang AIDS Working Committee Office.

  7. An exhaustive review on the theories of urbanization can be found in Kasarda and Crenshaw [31].

  8. The issue has been extensively discussed during the lecture given by the author at “L’Orientale” in Naples on the 7 November 2012.

  9. The data are taken from the Statistical Yearbook of Xinjiang 2010, etc.

  10. Migrant workers and members of the armed forces are not included in the figure.

  11. Tongji Nianjian 2010 and data collected during field research studies conducted by Prof. Ilham Tohti and Yang Shengmin of Minzu University of China.

  12. Called baiyang shu 白扬树 in Mandarin, and Tirek in Uyghur. These trees are particularly respected by the local Uyghur population for the coolness they guarantee during the dry but very hot summers, and as barriers against the sandstorms.

  13. Personal communication by a Han Party official.

  14. See the facts of July and September 2009 in Urumqi and in several other cities in the region.

  15. For figures about HIV/AIDS in Xinjiang, I mainly rely on [1], on the report on the issue by the Australian Agency for International Development in the framework of the Prevention and Care Project (2000) and on the WHO Reports

  16. Reference works in Chinese language are, among the others, the Report of the CASS (2006), Zhang (2005), Xu (2005), together with MA thesis discussed in different universities in Xinjiang, mainly consisting in fieldworks on limited samples, some of which are indicated in the related section in the Bibliography in the final part of this work.

  17. “HIV infections exceed 60,000 in Xinjiang. 4777 persons died”, in China News, 1 December 2011.

  18. UNAIDS (2002)

  19. Ibid

  20. Information collected at the Xinjiang Centre for Disease Control in 2007.

  21. Mainly programmes by the UN, World Bank, Global Fund, AusAid, United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Clinton Foundation.

  22. A rich bibliographical survey can be found in [10, 27, 19].

  23. See the paragraph here below.

  24. This is a very common idea in the clans and tribal societies with a nomadic history in the whole of Central Asia.

  25. Interesting research studies on Uyghur women who are recognized Sufi leaders and wise figures for the community have been realized by Rahile Dawut, Professor of Uyghur Folklore at Xinjiang University.

  26. According to an interview relesed by a Central Government official, working in the office of Prof. Yu Keping, in Beijing (June 2009), the authorities plan to make Hans-Uyghurs intermarriage more and more frequent.

  27. A good bibliographical survey can be found in the PhD dissertation by Wei Baihan [65].

  28. An overview of these policies has been presented by Prof. Qarluq during his lecture at Università “L’Orientale” di Napoli on 7th November 2012.

  29. The following information have been collected during an interview with Prof. Ismayil, a student of the sociologist Ma Rong, on the 30th of April 2011, in the campus of Xinjiang University.

  30. This outcome seems not to be in line with the more general studies on Islamic societies in which we can read that violence on women is for some aspects normal and accepted. The issue of the difference checked is still object of debate and very controversial.

  31. See the following discussions on Weibo—http://www.weibo.com/zt/s?k=9673&hasori=1—and this chat on Douban—http://www.douban.com/group/topic/30716097/.

  32. [7] on the interaction between pharmaceutical companies and hospitals, and the corruption dynamics which underly agreements and provisions. Moreover, since hospitals pay the medical personnel through the payments of patients, as a consequence prices of health services are high, especially for that part of the population which does not belong to any work unit.

  33. China Statistical Yearbook 2005. The most recent data available for Xinjiang are those of 2000, while for the whole country data have been released for the year 2004.

  34. [52], p. 434

  35. [52], pp. 438–439

  36. Wang et al. (2004), quoted in [71].

  37. http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/396 (accessed on 5 December 2012)

  38. [75, 43; an updated bibliography can be read in [71].

  39. Several WB projects have been implemented to restore and protect the Tarim ecosystem http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/2007/05/29/restoring-chinas-tarim-river-basin.

  40. Data on desertification, alkalinity and leaching processes have been kindly provided by Dr. Uwe Schleiff, who participated as consultant for salinity and alkalinity problems to the KFW external esperts mission in the framework of the Sino-German Poverty Alleviation Programme Xinjiang (August-September 2012).

  41. Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2011

  42. An exhaustive overview of this programme, including its outcomes, is provided by [22].

  43. Educational enrollment and attainement disparities in China following ethnic lines are analysed in [25].

  44. Dibao, measures to cope with religious belief, education and unemployment, are just a few of the contested measures implemented in Southern Xinjiang.

  45. An informative but controversial work on the issue is in [48]

  46. This is the narrative provided by Prof. Yang Shenming during one of his classes at Minzu University of China in March 2012.

  47. Interviewed in August 2012 in Beijing

  48. Prof. Qarluq illustrated his thesis in a lecture he gave at Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” on the 7th of November 2012.

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Statistical Yearbooks

  1. Statistical Yearbook of Kashgar, compiled by the Editing Commission of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, National Statistics Editions, Beijing, 1997-喀什统计年鉴, “新疆生统计年鉴” 编辑委员会编, 中国统计出版社, 北京

  2. Statistical Yearbook of Shihezi, compiled by the Editing Commission of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, National Statistics Editions, Beijing, 1995-石河子统计年鉴, “新疆生统计年鉴” 编辑委员会编, 中国统计出版社, 北京

  3. Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook, China Statistical Publisher, Beijing 1990–2010新疆统计年鉴, 中国统计出版社, 北京 1999-2010

  4. Yearbook of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. 1990-, compiled by the Editing Commission of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, National Statistics Editions, Beijing 新疆生产建设兵团统计年鉴1990-, “新疆生产建设兵团统计年鉴”编辑委员会编, 中国统计出版社, 北京

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    Alessandra Cappelletti

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Cappelletti, A. Developing the Land and the People: Social Development Issues in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (1999–2009). East Asia 32, 137–171 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-015-9240-8

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