Lessons in Being Chinese

Two very different ethnic minority communities—the Naxi of the Lijiang area in northern Yunnan and the Tai (Dai) of Sipsong Panna (Xishuangbanna), along Yunnan’s border with Burma and Laos—are featured in this comparative study of the implementation and reception of state minority education policy i...

Volledige beschrijving

Bewaard in:
Bibliografische gegevens
Hoofdauteur: Halskov Hansen, Mette
Formaat: Online
Taal:Engels
Gepubliceerd in: University of Washington Press 2022
Onderwerpen:
Online toegang:ONIX_20220715_9780295804125_210
Tags: Voeg label toe
Geen labels, Wees de eerste die dit record labelt!
_version_ 1869522888381431808
author Halskov Hansen, Mette
author_browse Halskov Hansen, Mette
author_facet Halskov Hansen, Mette
author_sort Halskov Hansen, Mette
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description Two very different ethnic minority communities—the Naxi of the Lijiang area in northern Yunnan and the Tai (Dai) of Sipsong Panna (Xishuangbanna), along Yunnan’s border with Burma and Laos—are featured in this comparative study of the implementation and reception of state minority education policy in the People’s Republic of China. Based on field research and historical sources, Lessons in Being Chinese argues that state policy, which is intended to be applied uniformly across all minority regions, in fact is much more successful in some than in others.In Lijiang, elite members of the Naxi ethnic group (minzu) have a centuries-old connection with Chinese state educational systems as avenues to social mobility, and have continued this tradition under Communist rule. They participate enthusiastically in the present system, using education to gain official and professional positions. In contrast to the Lijiang area, Sipsong Panna functioned in many ways as a separate kingdom until 1950, with its own script and a separate educational system centered in Theravada Buddhist monasteries. Today, many Tai in that area still prefer monastic education for their sons, and most parents are indifferent to state education.This study finds that standardized, homogenizing state education is in itself incapable of instilling in students an identification with the Chinese state, ironically often increasing ethnic identity. Lessons in Being Chinese enhances our understanding of how state policy toward minorities works in many areas of life, and its conclusions can be extended well beyond the sphere of education. It will be of interest to both anthropologists and educators.
format Online
id doab-20.500.12854ir-88461
institution Directory of Open Access Books
language eng
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher University of Washington Press
publisherStr University of Washington Press
record_format ojs
spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-884612024-03-29T08:06:20Z Lessons in Being Chinese Halskov Hansen, Mette Social & cultural anthropology bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JH Sociology & anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology Two very different ethnic minority communities—the Naxi of the Lijiang area in northern Yunnan and the Tai (Dai) of Sipsong Panna (Xishuangbanna), along Yunnan’s border with Burma and Laos—are featured in this comparative study of the implementation and reception of state minority education policy in the People’s Republic of China. Based on field research and historical sources, Lessons in Being Chinese argues that state policy, which is intended to be applied uniformly across all minority regions, in fact is much more successful in some than in others.In Lijiang, elite members of the Naxi ethnic group (minzu) have a centuries-old connection with Chinese state educational systems as avenues to social mobility, and have continued this tradition under Communist rule. They participate enthusiastically in the present system, using education to gain official and professional positions. In contrast to the Lijiang area, Sipsong Panna functioned in many ways as a separate kingdom until 1950, with its own script and a separate educational system centered in Theravada Buddhist monasteries. Today, many Tai in that area still prefer monastic education for their sons, and most parents are indifferent to state education.This study finds that standardized, homogenizing state education is in itself incapable of instilling in students an identification with the Chinese state, ironically often increasing ethnic identity. Lessons in Being Chinese enhances our understanding of how state policy toward minorities works in many areas of life, and its conclusions can be extended well beyond the sphere of education. It will be of interest to both anthropologists and educators. 2022-07-15T14:58:51Z 2022-07-15T14:58:51Z 2011 book ONIX_20220715_9780295804125_210 9780295804125 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/88461 eng image/jpeg Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International https://muse.jhu.edu/book/85629 University of Washington Press 05b43d6c-b025-4c47-9778-32ac09131cc4 9780295804125 open access
spellingShingle Social & cultural anthropology
bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JH Sociology & anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
Halskov Hansen, Mette
Lessons in Being Chinese
title Lessons in Being Chinese
title_full Lessons in Being Chinese
title_fullStr Lessons in Being Chinese
title_full_unstemmed Lessons in Being Chinese
title_short Lessons in Being Chinese
title_sort lessons in being chinese
topic Social & cultural anthropology
bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JH Sociology & anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
topic_facet Social & cultural anthropology
bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JH Sociology & anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
url ONIX_20220715_9780295804125_210
work_keys_str_mv AT halskovhansenmette lessonsinbeingchinese