Conversation and Reflection: BRI, Chinese Nationalism, and Chinese Migrant Workers

[Note to readers: This post is by Xin Li, who asked me to post it for him due to internet issues. Any mistakes in posting are mine, with apologies. Dr. Kamp] In my final blog, I will discuss BRI, the role of Chinese nationalism, and Chinese migrant workers through the reflection of a conversation I […]

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Crossing the Cairn-Marked Border: Imperial Policy and Diaspora in Buryat Folk Songs

In my previous post, I introduced a Buryat folk song which described events which took place in 1727-1728. These events demonstrate the impact of imperial diplomatic policies and decisions on individuals and communities. In this post, I will provide an historical background for the geopolitical circumstances in which this folk song arose. I will also […]

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Exile, Diaspora, and Agency in Inner Asian Folk Narratives

Research Questions and Goals Within my upcoming three blog posts, my aim is to present two narratives of exile present in folk oral traditions in Inner Asia. After discussing the Urkun in my previous post, I realized that I had largely forgotten the issue of individual agency within such significant historical circumstances. To rectify this […]

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China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative and Labor Migration in Eurasia

For my final blogs, I will be discussing China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI) and its impact on labor migration. In our class, we had a brief discussion on Chinese companies doing construction works overseas and bringing Chinese workers as a common business practice. However, such practice has fueled clashes and dismay among countries that […]

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