The normalization of Uyghur repression in the name of ’social governance’ in China

Repression does not always rely on visible coercion

Originally published on Global Voices

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been urging grassroots officials to strengthen and innovate social governance since 2021. Screenshot for Chinese National Radio's video on “Xi's thought on social governance.” Fair use.

In recent years, Chinese official discourse has increasingly used the term “social governance” (社會管治) to describe policies in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang) of China. This...