Read on Twitter
In case you haven't noticed, this autumn has seen an unprecedented number of academic books on Uyghur history, culture, and politics. These are all studies that have been in the works for many years, and greatly deepen our understanding of the region. https://twitter.com/RianThum/status/1318218274673479680?s=20
. @Rachel_A_Harris's "Soundscapes of Uyghur Islam" is *the* book to read for a rich, comprehensive picture of Islam among the Uyghurs in all its varied meanings, from secret Sufi rituals to internet memes. Based in extensive ethnographic fieldwork. https://www.amazon.com/Soundscapes-Uyghur-Islam-Framing-Global/dp/0253050200/
. @robertsreport Sean Roberts's "The War on the Uyghurs" offers the first sustained account of how and why the Chinese state framed the Uyghurs as a terrorist threat, and how it has used that framing to justify crimes against humanity. https://www.amazon.com/War-Uyghurs-Internal-Campaign-Princeton/dp/0691202184
. @EricTSchluessel's "Land of Strangers" focuses on the points of contact between the Qing colonial administration in Xinjiang and its subjects, in the oasis of Turpan. Just got my copy yesterday and can't wait to read it; the bits I've seen are excellent https://www.amazon.com/Land-Strangers-Civilizing-Project-Central/dp/0231197551/
. @ReasonablyRagin David Tobin's "Securing China's Northwest Frontier" is a finely detailed account of the PRC state's discourse on Xinjiang, its interweaving of identity and security issues, and the powerful/tragic real-world effects of that discourse. https://www.amazon.com/Securing-Chinas-Northwest-Frontier-Insecurity/dp/1108488404/
. @Dave_Brophy's "Remembrance of the Saints" is a translation of the important 18th-century chronicle/hagiography Tazkira-i Azizan. A great way to see the history of Eastern Turkistan through the eyes its pre-eminent 18th century author, M. Sadiq Kashgari https://www.amazon.com/Remembrance-Saints-Dynasty-Translations-Classics-ebook/dp/B086H83LZY/
Harris, Roberts, and Brophy books I've read. The other two I know from the authors' conference presentations & articles and have sitting at the top of my reading list. Any Uyghur-related books from Sept-Dec 2020 that I'm missing?
Yan Sun's "From Empire to Nation State" looks extremely interesting, with great blurbs. h/t @SheenaGreitens https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Nation-State-Ethnic-Politics-ebook/dp/B08BKX4K1T/
And how could I forget that @JimMillward's classic comprehensive history of Xinjiang, "Eurasian Crossroads," will be out in a revised edition, with a new chapter on recent developments. h/t @jwassers https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/eurasian-crossroads-2/
Also this new book on Soviet involvement in Xinjiang, covering the 2nd Republic of East Turkistan among other things. h/t @UyghurScientist https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641267/Soviet-Policy-in-Xinjiang-Stalin-and-the-National-Movement-in-Eastern-Turkistan
