Kenneth J. Yin

This project examines the emergence and development of a Dungan national literature during the Soviet period, with analyses of representative works of various authors. Featured authors include the celebrated Dungan poets Iasyr Shivaza, Khusein Makeev, and Iskhar Shisyr, as well as the influential Dungan prose writers Arli Arbudu, Makhmud Khasanov, and Mukhame Imazov. The formation and development of Soviet Dungan literature are situated within the broader context of Soviet nation-building and the cultural historiography of the Dungan people, a Central Asian ethnic minority descended from the Sinophone Muslims of China. The ultimate goals of the project are to produce an annotated English translation of a foundational monograph on the topic, develop a website as an open source for learning about Dungan literature and culture, and deliver conference papers. This project seeks to expand understanding of how literary production ultimately reflects both individual creative processes and underlying cultural forces.