Here’s a collection of required readings so that we may better wrap our heads around the emerging ethnic violence in China.

Uighers and China’s Xinjiang Region (Council on Foreign Relations)

Unrest in China (Rising Powers blog/Foreign Policy Association)

China’s Latest Tibet (Foreign Policy)

But perhaps most poignant piece on ethnic conflict comes from the FP Passport blog (by way of Andrew Sullivan and Robert Kaplan) In reporting on ethnic violence in Sri Lanka, Kaplan contends that the only strategy that assured victory for the government over the rebel LTTE (Tamil Tigers) was the use of “extreme and unsavory” methods.  A chilling, and largely accurate description of events for those of use who study identity-based violence and genocide.