David Tobin

Dr. David Tobin is a Lecturer in East Asian Studies at The University of Sheffield, School of Languages, Arts and Societies. He joined SEAS in 2021 after serving as a Hallsworth Research Fellow in the Political Economy of China at the University of Manchester. His research bridges Asian Studies and Global IR, focusing on identity and security dynamics in China, particularly in Xinjiang. Tobin holds a PhD in Politics (University of Manchester, 2013) and advanced degrees in Contemporary China, Political Science, and IR.

• Education:
• PhD in Politics, University of Manchester (2013)
• MA in Contemporary China, University of Manchester
• MA in Research Methods in Political Science and IR, University of Sheffield
• MA (hons) in Politics, University of Glasgow
• Research Interests: Identity-security nexus, China’s ethnic policies, Uyghur-Han relations, critical theory, counter-terrorism discourse, and state violence in Xinjiang.
• Key Contributions: Authored Securing China’s Northwest Frontier: Identity and Insecurity in Xinjiang (2020, Cambridge UP), presented to UK Parliament, and provided evidence to the Uyghur Tribunal. His work combines ethnographic fieldwork (including during the 2009 Ürümqi violence) with policy analysis.

His research critiques China’s ‘fusion’ ethnic policies, including internment camps and family separation practices, and examines their impact on Uyghur diaspora trauma. Media engagements include BBC, The Guardian, and international journals.