David Tobin

My book, ‘Securing China’s Northwest Frontier: Identity and Insecurity in Xinjiang’, is now available from @CambridgeUP @cambUP_History. It analyses how China’s nation-building in #Xinjiang shapes insecurity and ethnic boundaries between Han and #Uyghurs. doi.org/10.1017/978110…

Policymakers and the media need rigorous research by independently minded scholars to make sense of Chinese politics and society. INCCS will tackle the big and difficult questions about "China's rise". #China #Chinesestudies sheffield.ac.uk/las/news/new-w…

Great to see the International Network for Critical China Studies (INCCS) officially launch. I am proud to be part of it. The network is based at the University of Sheffield. @ReasonablyRagin

Contact me by email or DM if you have a proposal for a research publication or co-hosted events.

INCCS is an independent network of scholars, united by a commitment to critical analysis and academic freedom in the study of contemporary #China. sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.u…

"On the other, are expectations that cultures of other ethnic groups (minorities), especially their language, religion, and sense of identity, will fade away, saying they are all obstacles to development, and that can only be achieved by getting rid of them as soon as possible."

"The old development concept applied a double standard to diverse ethnic cultures: on the one hand, it advocated and promoted the cultural values of certain ethnic groups (developed Western countries), claiming that it was the inevitable path and destination for humanity."

张海洋 (2006) 简论中国化与和谐社会 Zhang Haiyang (2006) 'On Sinicisation and Harmonious Society' 但由于旧的发展观对多元民族文化采用双重标准一方面提倡和推广个别民族(西方发达国家)的文化价值，说那是人类的必由之路和必然归宿； #China #nationalism #ethnicity #sinicisation

The status and rights of #Uyghur communities in Turkiye are deeply precarious, and overlooked by researchers and civil society organisations since 2017. It's now being more fully documented (see additional sources 👇) #China #Turkiye #TransnationalRepression

Terribly sad news of the unexpected passing of Joe Fewsmith, a giant in the field of Chinese politics, a terrific professor, and just a really great guy. I was privileged to have studied under him. He got a lot of things right on Chinese politics I think, and his "Rethinking Chinese Politics" is as relevant as ever, particularly on Leninist system's evergreen "succession" problem:

Are nations ancient or modern? "从80年代初开始，在中国古代文献中搜检“民族”一词的努力一直在进行..." "Since the early 80s, efforts to search for the term "nation" in ancient Chinese texts have been ongoing" Hao Shiyuan (2004) Examination of the origin of the Chinese Term, minzu

BREAKING: NHRC investigation results released, indicating the Government, National Security Council (NSC), and Immigration Bureau (IB) violated human rights and the international principle of non-refoulement by sending Uyghur people back to China, exposing them to danger. Nov 7, 2025 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Friday the Thai government violated human rights of Uyghur detanees by sending them back to China. It recommends the state monitor and visit them to prevent problems.  The announcement came after the NHRC received complaints regarding the Thai Government (Respondent 1), the National Security Council (Respondent 2), and the Immigration Bureau (IB) (Respondent 3) sending 40 Uyghurs back to China on February 27, 2025. ​Risk of Harm: It says evidence suggested the Uyghurs faced a high risk of torture, enforced disappearance, and inhumane treatment, as noted in the UN OHCHR report on Xinjiang. ​Violation of International Law: The actions of the three respondents were deemed a violation of the Principle of Non-Refoulement and Thailand's Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance B.E. 2022, Section 13, and other international human rights obligations. ​Lack of Due Diligence: The NHRC found that the respondents did not provide assurance that the repatriation would be safe and that the Uyghurs would not be tortured. They relied solely on China's guarantee and failed to present concrete evidence that the 40 Uyghurs consented to return voluntarily. ​Status of Uyghurs: The Uyghurs, having served time for illegal entry, were mere detainees, not criminals against Thai law. Since they expressed their unwillingness to return and fear of danger, they should have been treated as asylum seekers who require human rights protection. ​Impact: The repatriation was a violation of human rights that undermines international confidence in Thailand, especially following its election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2025-2027, and affects its image for economic cooperation and relations with Muslim countries. ​Recommendations from the NHRC ​Preventive and Remedial Measures: ​The NSC, IB, Royal Thai Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Justice must continuously monitor and visit the repatriated Uyghurs and report the findings publicly for transparency. ​Relevant agencies like OHCHR, UNHCR, AICHR, civil society, and media should be invited to participate in the monitoring to ensure safety and build confidence in Thailand's human rights image. ​Review of Remaining Detainees: ​The Government and NSC must review the repatriation of the remaining 5 Uyghur detainees in prison. ​The review must strictly adhere to the Principle of Non-Refoulement, domestic law, and related conventions. ​Repatriation must be voluntary and backed by a formal, verifiable, and publicly-disclosable guarantee from the Chinese government. ​Protective Measures: ​The NSC, IB, and Police must strictly comply with the Non-Refoulement principle and the Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance B.E. 2565 when deporting foreigners. ​They should consider alternatives to detention for asylum seekers (e.g., bail, social service work, third-country resettlement screening). ​Relevant departments should standardize the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for implementing Section 13 of the Anti-Torture Act. #Thailand #China #Xinjiang #ChinainThailand #Uyghurs

A horrific & shocking news reported from Germany: authorities may have forcibly returned an asylum seeker Uyghur woman to China, where Beijing is committing crimes against humanity against Uyghurs. German authorities should disclose her whereabouts. uyghurtimes.com/uyghur-woman-s…

This is not a party political issue. No government has adequately addressed the intent or the methods at play. It needs cool heads to make workable solutions. #China #UK #Britain #NationalSecurity bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

They are closed to locals who wish to pray but open for tourists with no connection to the place or the people.