Contacts: Michael Medler, Huxley College of the Environment, (360) 650-3173 or Michael.Medler@wwu.edu.
BELLINGHAM - As a part of Western Washington University's Huxley College Department of Environmental Studies Colloquium and co-sponsored by WWU's East Asian Center, Professor Stanley Toops of the University of Miami will discuss the focus of his current research in a presentation titled "Political Geography of the Uyghur: Being a Muslim in China."
The presentation is free and open to the public, and will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, June 5, in Communications Facility room 110.
Toops will discuss the situation of the Uyghur, an ethnic group in northwest China. Toops contends the regions of Xinjiang show how locality and place matter to Uyghurs and their political identity. Organizational structures help to define political geographies and channel power; the state, the party and the Xinjiang Production Construction Corps all hold power in Xinjiang in varied contexts. In addition, political actions and events in Xinjiang since 1949, particularly since 1979, are important to the making of the Uyghur political geography. Thus, a case is made that Uyghur political identity proceeds from the history, the places, power and human rights in Xinjiang.
WWU's Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized national leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. The College's academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has earned international recognition for the quality of its programs.
For more information on the presentation, contact Michael Medler, Huxley College of the Environment, at (360) 650-3173 or Michael.Medler@wwu.edu.
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