The Xinjiang region in northwestern China has regularly made headlines in recent years, at least in Western media. Reports from human rights organizations speak of massive restrictions on the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population. These include strict controls in everyday life, restrictions on the practice of culture and religion, and detentions in so-called re-education camps, from which many of those affected do not return for years.

It is virtually impossible for researchers from Western countries to travel directly to Xinjiang or conduct interviews with the population on site. State surveillance, security checks and risks for local participants make research access extremely difficult. Against this backdrop, the question arises as to how scientists can nevertheless gain reliable insights into the region.

Answers to this question are provided in a new podcast, which is now available on popular portals and on the web. In a total of ten episodes, social scientists use the example of the Chinese region of Xinjiang to describe how research is possible when they cannot travel to an area themselves. They explain the method of “remote ethnography” – i.e., research from a distance – and discuss it with experts. They also address the question of what they can actually say about what is happening in Xinjiang.

A Project with European Funding

The “Remote Chay Podcast” was produced by the EU-funded project “Remote Ethnography of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” (Remote XUAR for short). The project is led by Professor Björn Alpermann, Chair of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Würzburg, and researchers from Palacký University Olomouc (Czechia) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium).

Where the Podcast Can be Found

All episodes of the “Remote Chay Podcast” are available free of charge on popular podcast platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts, as well as directly via the project website:
www.remote-xuar.com/podcast

Each episode focuses on a different topic:

Episode 1 – Introduction to “Remote Ethnography”
The three hosts introduce the project, explain what “remote ethnography” means, and how this method helps to conduct research despite access restrictions to the Xinjiang region.

Episode 2 – The Development of Uyghur Research in the 21st Century
A historian and anthropologist reports on the emergence and development of research on Xinjiang and the Uyghurs. The episode also discusses how new methods such as “remote ethnography” can enrich the field.

Episode 3 – Studying Mosque Destructions in China from Afar
The topic is the state policy of “sinicization” of religions in China since 2016, which has led to the renovation or demolition of many mosques. The episode shows how such developments can be documented with the help of remote data.

Episode 4 – Digital Ethnography of the Uyghur Region
The focus is on the analysis of blogs, social media posts, and other online sources as ethnographic material. The opportunities and limitations of this digital research are discussed, as well as questions of ethics and reliability.

Episode 5 – Digital Discourses in China
An expert in international relations explains how debates on the Chinese internet can be studied. She describes her experiences with analytical methods and the difficulties of evaluating digital data.

Episode 6 – A Critical Global Perspective on the Uyghur Regions
Two researchers talk about political developments in Xinjiang since the 2000s: from the unrest in Ürümqi in 2009 to the “people's war on terror” from 2014 onwards and mass internments since 2017. These events are placed in a broader context of colonialism, surveillance, and global power politics.

Episode 7 – Asking Sensitive Questions: An Ethical and Methodological Approach
A Uyghur scholar shares his experiences of conducting interviews on sensitive political topics. He reflects on how his background influenced the responses of his interviewees and talks about dealing with their traumatic experiences.

Episode 8 – A Conversation on Uyghur Cultural Maintenance in the Diaspora
The episode discusses how Uyghur communities abroad preserve their language, culture, and identity in times of political repression and crisis. It is based on an anthology about the global Uyghur diaspora.

Episode 9 – Research in Times of Global Surveillance
This episode addresses human rights violations in Xinjiang, forced labor, and the role of international companies. It also deals with the worldwide suppression of Uyghur voices, including through surveillance and intimidation abroad.

Episode 10 – Uyghur Studies and Remote Ethnography: A Collaborative Effort
The project leaders take stock: What insights has the method of “remote ethnography” yielded and how is it changing Uyghur research? The episode summarizes the experiences from the discussions so far.