ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the backgrounds and experiences of Uyghur hostesses in Ürümchi, and explored how they make sense of social, ethnic and religious identities. It emerges girls can work more easily when operating outside of their hometown, since this allows them to evade the social supervision of parents and communities. Regarding the popular assertion that minkaohan women are more likely to enter this profession, data collected for this study casts doubt. It appears that better-educated and highly acculturated minkaohan are more likely than minkaomin to consider a genuine romantic relationship with Han schoolmates or colleagues. The chapter addresses identity constructions among a stigmatised group in urban Uyghur society like karaoke hostesses in Ürümchi. Research on hostess culture in contemporary China has focused on Han hostesses in the cities of China proper, and explores socio-economic aspects of hostess work, including rural urban inequalities and employment discrimination.
