| What happens once different human groups come into massive contacts as the result of migration? What pattern of interrelationships emerges after the initial stage of contact? What are the conditions which promote ethnic assimilation and integration as opposed to those which induce conflicts and tensions between groups? Inspired by these questions, this research investigates the ethnic integration process as a consequence of internal migration in a multiethnic society. The present case study deals with the intergroup relations between an in-migrant majority group and a native minority group in a frontier area of China--Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.; To conduct this research, a field survey on "Migration Adjustment and Ethnic interrelations in Xinjiang Region" was specially designed and implemented from March to September, 1987. A total of 1,549 individual households were interviewed, from whom useable data were obtained for 1,349 heads of households. Two strategies are used in the analysis. One is cross-tabulation; the other is multivariate regression by using Ordinary Least Square analysis of the SPSSx program.; The results of the case study support most of the hypotheses. Xinjiang is found to be an ethnic pluralist society with the in-migrant majority people in an advantaged position in political power. The process of interethnic assimilation, especially linguistic and social structural assimilation, has occurred to a certain degree, and constitutes a great change for both ethnic groups, particularly for the indigeneous minority people assimilating with the in-migrant majority people. Yet, the relatively lower level of social psychological assimilation and lack of inter-group marriage imply that a pluralist community in Xinjiang region will persist for a long time. The Chinese government played an important role in the process of ethnic assimilation and internal migration. The country-wide political movements led to ethnic policies, in some situations, being confusing and fluctuating. As a result, policy impacts often offset each other. |
