“No Cracks, no Blind Spots, no Gaps”: Technologically-Enabled “Preventative” Counterterrorism and Mass Repression in Xinjiang, China

Abstract The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of the People’s Republic China (PRC) is now site largest mass repression an ethnic and/or religious minority in world today. Researchers estimate that since 2016 over one million people (mostly Uyghurs) have been detained without trial XUAR a system “re-education” camps. Outside camps, region’s Turkic Muslim population are subjected to dense network hi-tech surveillance systems, checkpoints, and interpersonal monitoring which severely limit all forms personal freedom penetrating society granular level. This chapter argues erection this “carceral state” has propelled by “preventative” counterterrorism incorporated key practices (e.g. greater reliance on new technologies) discourses Islamaphobia) “global war terrorism” with ideology Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pursuit negation very possibility “terrorism”. As such contemporary situation represents not only authoritarian regime but also example dystopian potentialities ostensibly “neutral” technologies.