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SoSe 22: Contentious Politics in China

Maria Bondes

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Opportunities for public participation and political activity are severely limited in an authoritarian state like China. Since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2013, China’s political climate has cooled down and spaces for political action have become even smaller. In such a highly controlled political environment, how do ordinary Chinese citizens articulate their needs and preferences and press for attention to their grievances? How do they organize collective action and conduct contentious activities? And how does the party-state respond to popular contention? This course introduces students to the dynamics of contention in contemporary China. Students will gain a nuanced understanding of how individuals and social groups in China mobilize political action, how they negotiate the constantly shifting boundaries of the politically permissible, and how the party-state responds to such collective claims-making. By studying these questions, students will also gain a deeper understanding of the broader dynamics of state-society relations in China. The course will approach these questions through readings, in-class group exercises and discussion rounds on a bi-weekly basis. Moreover, throughout the course, students will develop case studies that apply the learned concepts and contents. close