“Indirect Interpellations: Hate Speech and ‘Bad Subjects’ in Mongolia

Abstract

This article examines anti-Chinese hate speech in Mongolia and argues that in spite of its prevalence and pervasiveness it remains limited to a Mongolian audience, essentially constituting a vector of social policing. Its violence is thus largely exerted on Mongolian citizens themselves, particularly those "bad subjects" whose personal and intimate aspirations do not dovetail with the "good of the nation." Through an ethnographic focus on Mongolian women, I illustrate how the experience of "bad subjects" intersects with nationalist narratives, both undercutting them and contributing to their perpetuation.