Islam, chineseness and citizenship: Sinicizing Muslim minority, becoming Chinese citizen

ABSTRACT

This paper attempts to trace the Hui Muslim minority who has been recently undergoing a dual process in identity transformation. A new ethnic governance highlighted by citizenship over religious rights as well as the state’s campaign of Sinicization of Religions has been promoted to create homogeneity. Beyond the long-existing system of minzu, Sinicization and citizenship has become a new double-edged tool in managing ethnic minorities and faith communities. Under the campaign of Sinicization, expressions of Islamic religious practices are endorsed only if they are culturally compatible in Chinese characteristics. While all ethnic groups are preferentially treated and culture differences respected in multi-ethnic China, Muslims like other ethnic minorities are increasingly identified within the common framework of citizenship in which all nationals are citizens with equal standing, de-emphasizing the plurality of interethnic and cultural differences.

KEYWORDS:

• Islam
• Muslim
• China
• Citizenship
• Sinicization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).