Depoliticisation or Repoliticisation? Analysing the “Second-Generation Minzu Policy” and Its Implications for State–Minority Relations in China

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_87How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Second-generation minzu policy; Depoliticization; Repoliticization; Ethnic governance; State-minority relations; Autonomy; Assimilation; China

Abstract

This paper examines whether China’s proposed ‘second-generation minzu policy’ signifies the depoliticisation of ethnic issues, analysing its political implications for state-minzu relations. Through comparative case studies of Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia, the research reveals this policy embodies a dual process: on the one hand, discursive depoliticisation promoting ethnic integration and shared national identity; on the other, institutional repoliticisation reinforcing state control while eroding substantive autonomy. By integrating discourse analysis with institutional tracing, this paper contends that this reconfiguration of governance structures constitutes not a political retreat, but a strategic transformation in how state power is exercised and legitimised within a multi-ethnic context. The findings offer insights for contemporary debates on ethnic governance in China, assimilation policies, and the tensions between integration and autonomy.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Moqing Jia
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/30
TI  - Depoliticisation or Repoliticisation? Analysing the “Second-Generation Minzu Policy” and Its Implications for State–Minority Relations in China
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 11th International Conference on Social Sciences and Economic Development (ICSSED 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 847
EP  - 854
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_87
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_87
ID  - Jia2026
ER  -