The Han

China's Diverse Majority

by Agnieszka Joniak-Lüthi

This ethnography explores contemporary narratives of "Han-ness," revealing the nuances of what Han identity means today in relation to that of the fifty-five officially recognized minority ethnic groups in China, as well as in relation to home place identities and the country's national identity. Based on research she conducted among native and migrant Han in Shanghai and Beijing, Aqsu (in Xinjiang), and the Sichuan-Yunnan border area, Agnieszka Joniak-Luthi uncovers and discusses these identity topographies. Bringing into focus the Han majority, which has long acted as an unexamined backdrop to ethnic minorities, Joniak-Luthi contributes to the emerging field of critical Han studies as she considers how the Han describe themselves—particularly what unites and divides them—as well as the functions of Han identity and the processes through which it is maintained and reproduced.

 

The Han will appeal to scholars and students of contemporary China, anthropology, and ethnic and cultural studies.

Studies on Ethnic Groups in China presents research from a wide variety of disciplines on ethnic groups and ethnic relations in China. Anthropologists, historians, geographers, political scientists, and literary scholars have contributed works on minority ethnic groups from various regions of China, as well as on the majority Han and their relationships with other groups. Works are both historical and contemporary and cover topics ranging from identity, local relations, folk literature, and religion to medicine, governance, education, and economic development. The open access editions of many of the books in this series were made possible by a grant from the Transformation Fund of the Kenneth S. and Faye G. Allen Library Endowment.

Series editor: Stevan Harrell

Metadata

  • isbn
    9780295805979
  • publisher
    University of Washington Press
  • publisher place
    Seattle, WA
  • rights
    CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • series title
    Studies on Ethnic Groups in China