Religion-based cultural identity and conflicts of migrant Muslim students in Northwest China

The Hui (10.6 million) is one of the largest ethnic minority groups in China. Almost 100% of them, along with the Dongxiang, are Islamic, and are migrating from rural to urban areas in Northwest China. After moving to the urban environment conflicts between rural–urban differences, ethnic identity, and religion beliefs and practices frequently occur. This study found that Islam has strong influences on migrant Hui and Dongxiang students’ identity, and cause some notable conflicts with the urban and school cultures. These conflicts penetrate many aspects of their lives such as clothing, dietary restrictions, religious practice and literacy, and schooling. This study also examines the conflict between Islamic culture and modern secular culture, and identify some implications for schooling.