A Review of: “Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin. Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China.”
New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 240 pp., $85.00 paper. ISBN: 978-0-230-10305-4.
Author: Andrew T. H. Tana
Affiliation: a University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
DOI: 10.1080/09546553.2011.554299
Article Requests: Order Reprints : Request Permissions
Published in: Terrorism and Political Violence, Volume 23, Issue 2 April 2011 , pages 318 - 320
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
To cite this Article: Tan, Andrew T. H. 'A Review of: “Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin. Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China.”', Terrorism and Political Violence, 23:2, 318 - 320
Despite having one of the world's largest Muslim populations and having faced terrorist attacks in contemporary times, China's radical Islamist problem has received an ambivalent response in the West. This is due to the perception that China has deliberately exaggerated the terrorist threat in order to justify an authoritarian crackdown on opposition to the present communist regime in Beijing. This ambivalence can be attributed to a strong bias against the communist regime and apprehension in the West over the emergence of China as a global power. There has thus been a lack of scholarship on the extent of the threat, its linkages with Al Qaeda and global terrorism, and the problems and prospects for China's counter-terrorism strategy.
This book is therefore important and timely, filling an important gap in the existing literature and scholarship. It studies China's radical Islamist problem with objectivity and tries to assess how China can better manage the growing challenge. The principal author, Rohan Gunaratna, is a counter-terrorism expert best known for his earlier work on Al Qaeda, and he and his co-authors were engaged by the Chinese authorities to assess the terrorism threat to the Beijing Olympics, as well as to the country more generally. This book has thus been the product of extensive fieldwork and consultation within China, lending it authenticity and authority in its analyses.
The book has, apart from a useful introduction and a conclusion, six chapters, which cover: a theoretical framework, a historical survey of Islam in China, the Uighur separatism in Xinjiang, the discourses on the origin and identity of Hui (i.e., non-Uighur) Muslims and the potential for their radicalization, the threat from transnational groups such as Al Qaeda and its associates, and China's counter-terrorism policies and strategy.
The book points out that attempted and actual terrorist attacks in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics demonstrate that the terrorist threat from religious extremism exists in China. The East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a federation of radical groups with linkages to Al Qaeda, has been at the core of this emerging terrorist challenge. The book documents the growing links between Uighur extremists and the global jihadist movement. There is also evidence that Al Qaeda is focusing its attention on China, given the problems in Xinjiang. Indeed, the rise of China as a great power is seen by radical Islamists to be a negative development, as in the eyes of Al Qaeda, China might behave like the United States—carrying out tasks such as protecting Jews and corrupt Muslim governments in the Middle East. Importantly, the book also explains how minority identity in China has developed historically, where Islam, and not just ethnicity alone, has shaped Muslim identity vis--vis the majority Han Chinese. The result is that religion is now at the root of the hardening of that separate identity, which has manifested itself in extremism and terrorist acts against the state.
The authors are not afraid to criticize China's counter-terrorism approach. For instance, they fault China for conflating terrorism, armed resistance, and peaceful protests, and for its tendency to lump all disparate opposition forces as part of a single threat to security. They argue that China's use of tough law enforcement tactics may have alienated the Muslim minorities. They point out that despite well-intentioned development projects, the Muslim minorities have felt disadvantaged and left out, as well as fearful over the erosion of their ethno-religious identity. The book concludes with the observation that nation-building cannot be achieved with attempts to assimilate the minorities by force, where minority identities and aspirations are in sharp contrast to those of the state. The authors argue that there is a “need for moderation and a more human approach” (the title of the conclusion), with policies that focus less on the use of force and more on how to win hearts and minds. They call for policies of inclusion, as well as significant investment in development projects in the affected areas aimed at enhancing the comprehensive political, economic, and social security of the local communities.
In focusing attention on the radical Islamist challenge in China, already regarded by Al Qaeda as a major field in the global jihad, this book makes an important, timely, and objective contribution to the literature on terrorism studies and should be read by all interested in counter-terrorism.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Book Review
A Review of: “Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin. Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China.”
New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 258 pp., $85.00 hardcover. ISBN: 978-0-230-10305-4.
Author: Raffaello Pantuccia
Affiliation: a International Center for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), London, UK
DOI: 10.1080/09546553.2011.555674
Article Requests: Order Reprints : Request Permissions
Published in: Terrorism and Political Violence, Volume 23, Issue 2 April 2011 , pages 320 - 321
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
To cite this Article: Pantucci, Raffaello 'A Review of: “Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin. Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China.”', Terrorism and Political Violence, 23:2, 320 - 321
The question of terrorism in China is one that, while fascinating, is surprisingly under-represented in academic literature. For foreigners, it can be a very hard subject to penetrate due to local sensitivities, and these same sensitivities plague local scholars who recount stories of colleagues whose criticism of current policy went too far and found themselves suddenly unable to work. Consequently, Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin's work on the subject is warmly welcomed in helping to cast some light on the subject.
Focusing primarily on Islamist “extremism and terrorism” in China (p. 1), and the product of research done at the behest of “a number of Chinese institutions” seeking “an assessment of the threat” ahead of the 2008 Olympic games (p. 6), this book offers an overview of the current state of Islamist terrorist groups and networks in China. Given the prevalence of Islam and Islamist networks in China's westernmost Xinjiang province, the focus of the book is primarily Uighur religio-ethnic-separatist groups that claim linkages to this region. Given the authors' publishing record on the topic of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the organization's affiliates, this is not a surprising prism with which to explore the problem.
The book is quite traditional in its academic approach, opening with a chapter on placing the problem in China in a proper and current theoretical framework (pp. 9-19). It then provides an overview of Islam's arrival and growth in China (pp. 20-46), before launching into its longest chapter, which focuses in telegraphic detail on the multiplicity of Turkestan-related groups and networks preoccupying the Chinese government (pp. 47-88). Later chapters focus on “Threats to China from Al Qaeda” (pp. 109-134) and finally, what China is doing to respond (pp. 135-170). It is, however, chapter 4 (pp. 89-107) that raises a few questions, focusing as it does on the potential for radicalisation amongst China's Hui Muslim minority.
This conclusion is reached on the basis that there has been an increase since the late 1990s in the number of madrassahs (religious schools) “with radical orientation” (p. 104). Further evidence is suggested in the increasing numbers of Hui Muslims speaking Arabic, and the large numbers going on Hajj. Alongside this increasing exposure to the broader Muslim ummah, the authors track the increase in radical ideologies and movements globally and reach the conclusion that “under the influence of radical Islam and the global jihadist movement the Hui might become increasingly 'unfamiliar strangers'” (p. 106). However, this seems a slightly extreme conclusion to reach, given the current lack of violent radical behaviour stemming from Hui communities in China at the moment.
This aside, the book is a very useful stock-take of the current state of events attributed to the various East Turkestan groups. The middle chapters have clearly been researched using a wide array of Chinese source material and they provide a comprehensive assessment of events that have been somewhat muddled in the press. There is also an overview of all the different Uighur dissident groups based abroad that the Chinese government is concerned about—though it is unclear how many interviews have been conducted with members of said groups and the information varies in depth.
Controversially, the authors here conclude that “resentment caused by Han Chinese culture and language is not widespread” and “repression [of religious practices] is not evident in Xinjiang” (p. 60)—a perspective that is unlikely to endear them to the community of experts watching this topic from an ethnic perspective. This is already suggested in an article written by eminent expert Jim Milward in the Central Asian Survey special edition on Xinjiang, in which he expresses some concern about Dr. Gunaratna's approach to the issue of terrorism in China.1
This clash is unfortunate, as terrorism in China, be it from international networks or domestic dissidents, is clearly going to rise as the nation's profile and importance in the global economy increases.2 This is something that is going to be of increasing concern to the international community. Unfortunately, information is often rather limited on the subject and province, so the baseline assessment this book provides does help start to complete a gap in current literature.
Notes
James Millward, “Introduction: Does the 2009 Urumchi violence mark a turning point?,” Central Asian Survey 28, no. 4 (2010): 347-360.
Paul J. Smith, “China's Economic and Political Rise: Implications for Global Terrorism and U.S.-China Cooperation,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 32, no. 7 (2009): 627-645.
New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. 258 pp., $85.00 hardcover. ISBN: 978-0-230-10305-4.
Author: Raffaello Pantuccia
Affiliation: a International Center for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), London, UK
DOI: 10.1080/09546553.2011.555674
Article Requests: Order Reprints : Request Permissions
Published in: Terrorism and Political Violence, Volume 23, Issue 2 April 2011 , pages 320 - 321
Publication Frequency: 4 issues per year
To cite this Article: Pantucci, Raffaello 'A Review of: “Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin. Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China.”', Terrorism and Political Violence, 23:2, 320 - 321
The question of terrorism in China is one that, while fascinating, is surprisingly under-represented in academic literature. For foreigners, it can be a very hard subject to penetrate due to local sensitivities, and these same sensitivities plague local scholars who recount stories of colleagues whose criticism of current policy went too far and found themselves suddenly unable to work. Consequently, Rohan Gunaratna, Arabinda Acharya, and Wang Pengxin's work on the subject is warmly welcomed in helping to cast some light on the subject.
Focusing primarily on Islamist “extremism and terrorism” in China (p. 1), and the product of research done at the behest of “a number of Chinese institutions” seeking “an assessment of the threat” ahead of the 2008 Olympic games (p. 6), this book offers an overview of the current state of Islamist terrorist groups and networks in China. Given the prevalence of Islam and Islamist networks in China's westernmost Xinjiang province, the focus of the book is primarily Uighur religio-ethnic-separatist groups that claim linkages to this region. Given the authors' publishing record on the topic of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the organization's affiliates, this is not a surprising prism with which to explore the problem.
The book is quite traditional in its academic approach, opening with a chapter on placing the problem in China in a proper and current theoretical framework (pp. 9-19). It then provides an overview of Islam's arrival and growth in China (pp. 20-46), before launching into its longest chapter, which focuses in telegraphic detail on the multiplicity of Turkestan-related groups and networks preoccupying the Chinese government (pp. 47-88). Later chapters focus on “Threats to China from Al Qaeda” (pp. 109-134) and finally, what China is doing to respond (pp. 135-170). It is, however, chapter 4 (pp. 89-107) that raises a few questions, focusing as it does on the potential for radicalisation amongst China's Hui Muslim minority.
This conclusion is reached on the basis that there has been an increase since the late 1990s in the number of madrassahs (religious schools) “with radical orientation” (p. 104). Further evidence is suggested in the increasing numbers of Hui Muslims speaking Arabic, and the large numbers going on Hajj. Alongside this increasing exposure to the broader Muslim ummah, the authors track the increase in radical ideologies and movements globally and reach the conclusion that “under the influence of radical Islam and the global jihadist movement the Hui might become increasingly 'unfamiliar strangers'” (p. 106). However, this seems a slightly extreme conclusion to reach, given the current lack of violent radical behaviour stemming from Hui communities in China at the moment.
This aside, the book is a very useful stock-take of the current state of events attributed to the various East Turkestan groups. The middle chapters have clearly been researched using a wide array of Chinese source material and they provide a comprehensive assessment of events that have been somewhat muddled in the press. There is also an overview of all the different Uighur dissident groups based abroad that the Chinese government is concerned about—though it is unclear how many interviews have been conducted with members of said groups and the information varies in depth.
Controversially, the authors here conclude that “resentment caused by Han Chinese culture and language is not widespread” and “repression [of religious practices] is not evident in Xinjiang” (p. 60)—a perspective that is unlikely to endear them to the community of experts watching this topic from an ethnic perspective. This is already suggested in an article written by eminent expert Jim Milward in the Central Asian Survey special edition on Xinjiang, in which he expresses some concern about Dr. Gunaratna's approach to the issue of terrorism in China.1
This clash is unfortunate, as terrorism in China, be it from international networks or domestic dissidents, is clearly going to rise as the nation's profile and importance in the global economy increases.2 This is something that is going to be of increasing concern to the international community. Unfortunately, information is often rather limited on the subject and province, so the baseline assessment this book provides does help start to complete a gap in current literature.
Notes
James Millward, “Introduction: Does the 2009 Urumchi violence mark a turning point?,” Central Asian Survey 28, no. 4 (2010): 347-360.
Paul J. Smith, “China's Economic and Political Rise: Implications for Global Terrorism and U.S.-China Cooperation,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 32, no. 7 (2009): 627-645.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Authors' Bio
Rohan Gunaratna is Professor of Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University and a specialist of the global threat environment with expertise in threat groups of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He heads Singapore’s International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR), one of the largest specialist counter terrorism research and training centres in the world.
Arabinda Acharya is Research Fellow and Manager Strategic Projects at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is also a Visiting Faculty at the Department of Geo-Politics, Manipal University, India.
Wang Pengxin is Research Analyst at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. His main research areas include Uighur separatism, Xinjiang issue and terrorism in China.
Arabinda Acharya is Research Fellow and Manager Strategic Projects at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is also a Visiting Faculty at the Department of Geo-Politics, Manipal University, India.
Wang Pengxin is Research Analyst at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. His main research areas include Uighur separatism, Xinjiang issue and terrorism in China.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Book Quotes
“Gunaratna is probably the leading academic expert on contemporary terrorism. Together with Arabinda Acharya and Wang Pengxin, he has undertaken the difficult and sensitive task of producing an in-depth analysis of the nature and causes of terrorism in China. They make a clear distinction between what might be described as traditional terrorism driven by the political suppression of minority identity and the new more ideological terrorism of Islamist extremism. They successfully pick apart these complex, intertwined themes and have produced a most convincing set of explanations and insights. This is an important book which the Chinese authorities themselves should read with close attention.”
—Sir Richard Dearlove, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), Order of the British Empire (OBE), Chief of British Secret Intelligence Service (1999-2004), Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge (2004-present)
“An illuminating account of a little known topic, Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China is a must read for academics, policy-makers, and operators alike. Gunaratna, Acharya, and Wang demystify the paradox concerning China’s cooperation as a counter-terror partner and the China that is less than cooperative on human rights issues. The authors have made a difficult topic easy to comprehend.”
Brigadier General (RET) Russ Howard, Founding Director, Combating Terrorism Centre, United States Military Academy, West Point
“The existing and increasing terrorist threat to China has the potential to reshape the global threat environment. One of the first comprehensive analyses of the threat to China, the book highlights the evolution of Al Qaeda and its implication for the rise of China. This book is a must read not only by scholars, but also by officials engaged in countering terrorism.”
Judge Jean-Louis Bruguière
—Sir Richard Dearlove, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), Order of the British Empire (OBE), Chief of British Secret Intelligence Service (1999-2004), Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge (2004-present)
“An illuminating account of a little known topic, Ethnic Identity and National Conflict in China is a must read for academics, policy-makers, and operators alike. Gunaratna, Acharya, and Wang demystify the paradox concerning China’s cooperation as a counter-terror partner and the China that is less than cooperative on human rights issues. The authors have made a difficult topic easy to comprehend.”
Brigadier General (RET) Russ Howard, Founding Director, Combating Terrorism Centre, United States Military Academy, West Point
“The existing and increasing terrorist threat to China has the potential to reshape the global threat environment. One of the first comprehensive analyses of the threat to China, the book highlights the evolution of Al Qaeda and its implication for the rise of China. This book is a must read not only by scholars, but also by officials engaged in countering terrorism.”
Judge Jean-Louis Bruguière
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