State construction towards national integration and cultural diversity in modern China: A case study of Sichuan Province in the southwest of China

This dissertation focuses on state institutions and policies that help to achieve national integration and cultural diversity in China. Specifically, it looks into the state's approaches and strategies towards the paradoxical cultural pattern in contemporary China, the coexistence of the national culture and regional cultures. In particular, this dissertation offers a case study of the Sichuan area for regional cultures and corresponding public policies. From a political perspective, I argue that state institutions and policies are the main cause for the construction and development of contemporary cultural patterns in China. Furthermore, I try to analyze incentives, purposes, and constraints behind the Chinese government's political choices and strategies, by referring to the comprehensive contexts of decision-making such as the country's history, political traditions, economic development, and social stability. Additionally, I compare the attitudes and behavior of the Chinese state toward cultural diversity with that of the United States and analyze the differences as well as causes of the divergent political approaches between these two polities.