An Overview 

 In order to suit the needs of the developments of the new situations, the Institute of Nationality Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was changed into the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in December 2002. Tracing back to its root, the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences was founded in 1962 on the basis of the mergence of the Institute of Nationality Studies, Chinese Academy of Sciences (founded in 1958) and the Institute of Languages of the National Minorities, Chinese Academy of Sciences (founded in 1956). The staff at their posts is more than 152 including more than 71 senior research personnel. 

The research directions and tasks: the systematical studies of the theories of nationalities, the ethnic policy, ethnic relationships and legal systems of the communist party of china; studies of societies, economies and cultures of the various ethnic minorities; researches into the histories of the various minorities in ancient and modern China, the history of the ethnic relationships, the ethnic cultural history and the ancient books and documents of the various ethnic minorities. 

The research divisions: the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology is composed of 11 research divisions, 3 editorial departments, 1 library, 4 research centers of CASS. The research divisions: the division of ethnic theories, the division of the social and cultural anthropology, the division of religious cultures, the division of visual anthropology, the division of ethnic ancient documents, the division of northern ethnic languages, the division of southern ethnic languages, the division of ethnic history, the division of economic and social developments, the division of phonetics and computer linguistics, the division of world nationalities. The research centers: the research center for overseas Chinese of CASS, the research center for languages of the ethnic minorities in China of CASS, the research center for cultures of the Western Xia Regimes of CASS, the center of Mongolia Studies of CASS. 

The Union of the Research Organizations of Ethnology in China is affiliated to this institute. It is in charge of managing the Chinese Society of Ethnology, the Chinese Society of Ethnic Theories, the Chinese Society of World Nationalities, the Chinese Society of Ethnic History, the Chinese Society of Ethnic Languages, the Chinese Society of Ethnic Ancient Characters and the Chinese Society of the Turkish Languages. 

The main scientific works of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology after its foundation for about 40 years are: 

A. The extensive distinctive works of ethnic minorities, the mass investigations of social histories and languages of the Chinese minorities. For example, the distinctive works of the ethnic minorities in whole China and the investigations of social histories of the ethnic minorities in the late 50s and at the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century; “the investigations of the current situations and developments of the ethnic minorities in China: since 1993 to the present. 

B. Compilations of 3 series and 5 kinds of books of ethnic problems and the key investigation and research projects at national level based on the mass ethnic investigations. The Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology took on the main or partial tasks. For example, the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology compiled 47 books of those 57 ones of The Series of the History of Languages of Ethnic Minorities in China, which should be finished nationwide; the Minzu Publishing House has already published 12 volumes of The Research Series of Books of the Investigations of the Current Situations and Developments of the Ethnic Minorities in China, this series of books focus on various counties with some main ethnic minorities, each volume for one such county. 

C. Since its foundation the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology has published a large number of research works. Especially after the reform and opening-up of China in 1980s, this institute has gone through beginning to full prosperity. According to uncompleted statistics, the scientific research personnel of the Ethnology and Anthropology have published more than 500 books, 100 translated books, 300 collections of data and articles, 60 reference books, 3000 treatises, they have also more than 70 ethnological and anthropological visual films (parts). 

The education of postgraduates: the department of ethnology of graduate school, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was set up at the institute of ethnology and anthropology, the Ph. D and Master degree can be conferred in subjects of history of nationalities in China, languages of nationalities in China and ethnology. It has educated more than 80 Ph. Ds and Masters in recent years. It has set up a mobile station for post Ph. Ds in the direction of studies of overseas Chinese of the subject of theories of ethnology. 

The scientific exchanges: this institute has been maintaining the scientific exchange—relationships with the research institutions from USA, UK, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, Holland, Sweden, Mexico, Uzbekistan and the regions of Hong Kong and Taiwan. It has compiled and drawn up The Atlas of Chinese Languages in cooperation with the Australian Academy of Social Sciences. It has published The World Written Languages, Chinese Part (Chinese and English edition) in cooperation with Center for Bilateral Languages, Canada (University of La Vale) and compiled in cooperation with American company MRM A Tibetan—English New Words Dictionary. 

The ongoing major projects of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Investigations of the Current Conditions and Developments of the Chinese Ethnic Minorities (second issue), Studies of the Basic Theories of the Chinese Anthropology and Ethnology, Investigations and studies of the new discovered Chinese languages, Acoustic studies of tones and pronunciations of Sino-Tibetan languages, The development history of the Tibetan Buddhistic arts, A general survey of the border politics in Chinese history, The multimedia information systems of Chinese ethnic minorities, The ecological environments and ethnic cultures of the Himalaya mountain areas in southeastern Tibet, Reports on Chinese ethnic problems of the 20th century, Studies of the secret history of Mongolia, Reports on the ethnic problems of the world in 20th century and prospects for the ethnic problems in the new century, Social studies of Western Xia, Research history of Chinese ethnic languages and characters, Studies of the protections countermeasures of the cultural relics of the Chinese ethnic minorities in opening-up of the west, Developments and release of data and information of ethnic studies, Collations and studies of social and economic documents of uygurish minority in modern times, Studies of the Qidan language, A corpus of ethnic studies materials of the Republic of China, Studies of the earnings of peasants and herdsmen of ethnic minorities in west and their increase. 

The ongoing projects of National Foundations of Social Sciences: Studies of ethnic theories and their schools, The social and cultural anthropology in the Chinese viewpoint: ethnological theories and methods, Theories of nationality-State and multinational states, History of the ethnic relationships of new China, 50-year study history of ethnic minorities of new China, History of the problems of the world nationalities in the 20th century, Studies of the Sino-Chinese words of common origins, Methods of Tibetan-Burmese, Zhuang-Dong, Miao-Yao languages, Chinese primitive religions and cultures, The establishment of the Russian ethnic state: theories and practices, Formation and development of the southeast-Asian Chinese groups. 

Journals: “Ethno-National Studies”, “World Ethno-National Studies”, “Ethno-linguistics”, “Yearbook of Ethnic Studies in China”. 

Director: Wang Yanzhong 

Address: Building 6, Zhongguancun Nandajie 27, Beijing 

Post code: 100081 

Tel: 0086-10-68421864,68933534 

Fax: 0086-10-68421864 

E-mail: diyj@cass.org.cn 

http://www.cass.net.cn/minzuso