Уйгуры в Кыргызстане – две разные части одного народа? / The Uyghurs in Kyrgyzstan – two different parts of one nation?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate, using the example of Uyghurs living in several countries and Uyghurs living in two geographically and culturally distinct regions of Kyrgyzstan, how government interventions can influence the formation of ethnic identity. In Kyrgyzstan, changes in policy regarding the Uyghurs are explored along with the reaction to this policy on the part of representatives of the Uyghur ethnic group. The article also explores how completely different forms of expression of the Uyghur nationality occurred within the framework of one country, or more precisely – a union republic. The article draws attention to cases of state intervention in the USSR that led to the unification of several different ethnic groups into one new ethnic group of Uyghurs, as well as how these state interventions either contributed to the process of assimilation or, conversely, acted against it.

Keywords

• central asia
• uyghurs
• assimilation
• kyrgyzstan
• ethnic identity