Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (CASS)

Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (CASS)
Name	Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (CASS)
Native name	中国社会科学院民族学与人类学研究所
Established	1950s
Parent institution	Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Location	Beijing

Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (CASS) is a research institute within the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences focused on the study of ethnic groups, cultural anthropology, and social history across China and Eurasia. The institute has played a central role in producing fieldwork, ethnographic monographs, and policy-relevant studies that intersect with topics associated with Minority Affairs Commission, People's Republic of China regional administration, and transnational scholarly networks such as the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences.

History

The institute traces its institutional lineage to early institutions formed after the People's Republic of China establishment and subsequent reorganizations influenced by campaigns like the First Five-Year Plan and political shifts during the Cultural Revolution (China). During the reform era associated with leaders such as Deng Xiaoping, the institute expanded ties with scholars from Peking University, Fudan University, and the Minzu University of China, and engaged in collaborative reconstruction of ethnographic curricula influenced by comparative projects linked to UNESCO and the World Bank. Prominent figures connected to the institute include scholars who participated in national surveys alongside agencies like the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, and it has been involved in landmark studies on regions such as Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Over time the institute navigated intellectual currents exemplified by exchanges with foreign academics from institutions like the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of Chicago, and Australian National University.

Organization and Administration

Administratively situated under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the institute comprises research centers and departments that coordinate projects on demography, cultural heritage, and rural livelihood studies; these units often liaise with provincial academies such as the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences and municipal bodies like the Beijing Municipal Commission of Ethnic Affairs. Leadership appointments are typically overseen through mechanisms involving the academy and relevant ministries exemplified by interactions with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (PRC), while advisory boards include senior researchers who have participated in commissions such as the National People’s Congress committees on ethnic affairs. The institute maintains archives, linguistic corpora, and museum partnerships, and administers grant-funded programs awarded by entities like the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology (PRC).

Research Areas and Programs

Research programs pursue comparative analyses of ethnic identities, kinship systems, ritual practices, and material culture among groups including the Han Chinese, Tibetan people, Uyghurs, Mongols, Zhuang people, Miao people, and Dong people, as well as transborder communities in regions connecting to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Russian Far East. The institute organizes longitudinal fieldwork projects in sites such as Lhasa, Ürümqi, Hohhot, Nanning, and rural townships affected by initiatives like the Western Development strategy. Thematic programs examine cultural heritage protection in contexts including Intangible Cultural Heritage listings, minority language documentation related to families like Tibeto-Burman languages and Altaic languages, and socioeconomic transitions tied to policies such as Household registration (hukou). Interdisciplinary centers address issues at the intersection with archaeology (collaborating with the Institute of Archaeology, CASS), historical geography (with the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research), and public policy.

Publications and Journals

The institute publishes monographs and periodicals that contribute to debates in anthropology and ethnology, including flagship journals comparable in scope to titles published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Publishing House and collaborative series with university presses such as Peking University Press and Zhonghua Book Company. It produces research reports that inform white papers and policy briefs submitted to bodies like the State Council (PRC) and has edited volumes drawing contributions from scholars affiliated with Academia Sinica, SOAS University of London, and the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. Its scholars frequently publish articles in international journals associated with the American Anthropological Association, the Royal Anthropological Institute, and region-specific periodicals covering Asian Studies and Ethnic Studies.

Education and Training

While primarily a research institute, it participates in graduate supervision and co-advises doctoral candidates enrolled at institutions such as Renmin University of China, Minzu University of China, and Tsinghua University, and hosts postdoctoral fellows funded by programs like the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Postdoctoral Program. Training activities include ethnographic field methods workshops, linguistic documentation courses, and seminars on heritage management offered in collaboration with organizations like ICOMOS and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (China). The institute also organizes summer schools and capacity-building programs for administrators from autonomous regions and county-level officials linked to workshops sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme in China.

Collaborations and International Cooperation

International cooperation encompasses partnerships and exchange programs with universities and research centers such as the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, the Leiden University, and the University of Melbourne, and engagement in multinational projects funded by agencies like the European Research Council and bilateral science agreements with institutions from Japan, Russia, and Australia. The institute hosts visiting scholars and participates in conferences including those convened by the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences and the Association for Asian Studies, while contributing expertise to UNESCO-led heritage initiatives and Sino-foreign cultural exchanges involving counterparts like the Smithsonian Institution.

Category:Research institutes in Beijing Category:Chinese Academy of Social Sciences