ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the popular Uyghur online series Anar Pishti. A close analysis of selected vignettes emphasizes collective outdoor areas such as parking lots, residential compounds, and streets are associated with danger and highly competitive interactions. Specifically, I examine three types of random encounters in the streets of Ürümchi: Uyghurs and Han, within the Uyghur community, Uyghurs and authorities. I argue that Anar Pishti producers resourcefully develop new means of communication and community building through collective laughter, creatively attesting to both hope and resilience in times of crisis for the Uyghurs.
