ABSTRACT
Indigenous actors have used violence within Xinjiang in the attempt to alter the political wills of both the core and local societies. These indigenous actors worked alone and in groups, and some pursued assistance, ideological and material, from external actors. This chapter argues that there has been an insurgency in Xinjiang, at times nascent or simmering; currently it produces only a low level of violence relative to other recent international insurgencies.1 The socio-political and strategic environment in Xinjiang engendered an insurgency which persisted across time and in the face of harsh state action. Simply, a real threat confronted China in Xinjiang. Later chapters investigate how effectively China responded to this threat. This chapter analyzes the insurgency in Xinjiang, investigating causes, dynamics, evolution, and effect upon society. That is, why has violence been used, when, and to what effect?
