西部地区少数民族大学生的文化融合意识与国家认同

Consciousness of Cultural Integration and National Identity Among Ethnic Minority College Students in the Western Region of China

西部地区少数民族大学生是中国少数民族成员中的一个重要群体。西部地区少数民族大学生自身发展的内在需要、国家政策的实施以及世界各地不同文化的交流交融,共同构成了西部少数民族大学生文化融合意识的逻辑起点。同时,西部少数民族大学生群体体现出地域性、民族性、多元性的基本文化特征。西部少数民族大学生的文化融合意识对国家认同建设发挥引领、促进、整合的功能作用。

As a special community of the ethnic minorities in China,the EMCSW＇s（ the ethnic minority college students in the western region of China） ethnic identity and multi-cultural integration both have a big influence on the ethnic unity and national stability. This article explores the produced logic of the consciousness of cultural integration among the EMCSW and the basic cultural characteristics of this special community. Moreover,it interprets the role of their consciousness of cultural integration to the national identity.Ⅰ. The produced logic of the consciousness of cultural integration among the EMCSW Cultural integration is a major trend of social development,and the culture integration among the EMCSW is an inevitable result of the historical development and the progress of the times. The endogenous self-developmental needs of the EMCSW,the implementation of national policies,and the communications between different cultures all over the world constitute the logical starting point of the consciousness of cultural integration among the EMCSW.1. Promoting the endogenous self-developmental needs of the EMCSW Students from ethnic minority backgrounds are eager to gain opportunities for equal education,share educational resources, and improve their knowledge in order to change their fate. It is this endogenous demand that drives the ethnic minorities in the western region to actively integrate themselves into the national and global development trends,and gradually stop themselves from being passively marginalized. The power of this endogenous demand promotes a more active attitude of the ethnic minorities in the western region to communicate and integrate with external cultures.The existence of a multi-culture becomes an indisputable fact. While constantly adapting to the new culture,the ethnic minorities are transforming their culture,while also making efforts to protect their culture. Cultural integration has been gradually accepted by the ethnic minorities in the western region. As a group with a relatively high educational level among the ethnic peoples, the EMCSW＇s identity to the cultural integration is very obvious.2. The positive inflow of external culture leads to great cultural integration In the background of an age of ＂flowing modernity ＂,China＇s development is facing bidirectional interactions,including the resulting external force of globalization and internal social transformation. More and more outsiders from different ethnic backgrounds,beliefs,religions,races,and languages are moving to the western region. They bring external cultures with them, which have strongly promoted the cultural integration and have also created more vibrant cultures. The EMCSW,as a group with a relatively higher educational levels among ethnic minority groups,have a deeper understanding of the external culture, and form their independent ideologies and values through cultural collision and fusion.3. The implementation of state policies promotes cultural integration The implementation of regional ethnic autonomous systems and various preferential policies since the founding of the People＇s Republic of China have increased interactions between the western region and the eastern coastal areas,as well as between the western region and developed countries.This interaction has played an important role in promoting the development of ethnic minority areas politically,economically,culturally,and educationally. Resulting from the powerful interventions of the state and the strong push of policies,various beneficial projects in the western ethnic minority regions have been intensely,but orderly,carried out. The pace of development in comparison with the economic and social development of other areas has been speeding up,economic and cultural exchanges have been increasing,and the level of development has been gradually improving. All of these factors have strongly promoted the cultural integration of different national and ethnic groups.II. Basic cultural characteristics of the EMCSW Cultural integration has become an irreversible trend in the global,regional,and national community. However,the EMCSW have their own distinct characteristics,including regional features,ethnicities,and pluralism.1. Regional features： The geographical environment of the western region is complex and diverse. Influenced by family,consanguinity,ethnicity,customs,and culture,the EMCSW are often born with a congenital ethnic mark,and already have a certain subconscious cognition of cultural integration. The outside world has also created a conventional regional division of them,according to their ethnic elements. The EMCSW＇s understanding of their own ethnic culture and other ethnic cultures is fundamentally different; therefore,their consciousness of cultural integration has obvious regional features.2. Ethnicity： Throughout the long course of history,the ethnic minorities in the western region have formed a vibrant ethnic culture,which includes language,religion,nature worship,songs,dances,clothing,handicrafts,architecture,customs,and an agricultural way of life. Certain parts of their culture might be very similar to each other,while others might be very different. Even within an ethnic group,big differences might exist,resulting from differences of location or ethnic branches. The EMCSW attend universities all over China,and they more or less retain their own ethnic elements. To a large extent,the ＂ethnicity＂is an important mark to distinguish the difference between them and others.3. Pluralism： In various colleges and universities across China,the EMCSW have actively or passively integrated into the campuses,which are spaces of multicultural integration. As a result,they have inevitably interacted and communicated with different ethnic groups within the region. This is not a simple mixture,but a process of culture construction in which the richness,inclusiveness,and development all blend together. Along with the increase of contact and the change of the knowledge structure, world outlook, and values, the EMCSW eventually form their own ethnic culture,adapting to the environmental development,while also retaining their own uniqueness.III. An analysis of the role of the EMCSW＇s consciousness of cultural integration to the national identity As an important community and special ＂symbol ＂ among the ethnic groups in China, the EMCSW＇s level of consciousness of cultural integration directly represent their native ethnic group＇s level of consciousness of cultural integration,which will then influence the national identity of the ethnic people. The consciousness of cultural integration of the EMCSW play a leading,promoting,and integrating role in the construction of national identity.1. The EMCSW＇s consciousness of cultural integration plays a leading role in enhancing their ethnic group＇s identity within the multi-ethnic country of China. Resulting from the influence of these students＇ consciousness of cultural integration,their families and clans have also gradually improved their understanding of the external culture and experienced a journey of heart concerning their attitude to external culture,with regards to unfamiliarity, cognition, understanding, tolerance,and identity. Seen from this perspective,the EMCSW＇ s consciousness of cultural integration is leading themselves,their families,and their clans to the consciousness of the Chinese culture and national identity. This influence is unconsciously linked to their construction of national identity.2. The EMCSW＇s consciousness of cultural integration promotes the national identity of ethnic minorities. Studying in a multicultural integrated campus,EMCSWs can feel the richness and inclusiveness of Chinese culture and see the gradual reduction of the gap and differences between different ethnic groups. Their consciousness of cultural integration has been constantly enhanced and their national identity has been intensified. The consciousne