Confucian Governmentality and Socialist Autocracy in Contemporary China
By Chih-yu Shih
Published
May 28, 2024Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1529238907Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 28, 2024Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1529238921Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 28, 2024Page count
192 pagesISBN
978-1529238921Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University Press
Confucian Governmentality and Socialist Autocracy in Contemporary China
In October 2022, the 20th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) concluded, extending Xi Jinping's leadership indefinitely, which many view as a one-party dictatorship.
Exploring Confucian and socialist principles, this book examines the relationship between the citizens and leaders in the Chinese autocracy. By applying a Foucauldian twist to a range of topics – from discussing the politics of love and pandemic nationalism to analysing Xi’s personality – it challenges the binary of authoritarianism and democracy.
Interdisciplinary in nature, it will appeal to scholars and students working in the fields of politics, international relations, culture studies and critical theory.
"Chih-yu Shih develops very important arguments against binary understandings of politics, directing our attention to more complex governmentalities, without necessarily legitimising them." Hartmut Behr, Newcastle University
"Chih-yu Shih's analysis offers fascinating insights into the philosophical foundations of Chinese politics. His combination of Confucian cosmology and Foucauldian governmentality explores the hidden layers of state-society relations in the era of Xi Jinping." Nele Noesselt, University of Duisburg-Essen
Chih-yu Shih is National Chair and University Chair in the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University.
Introduction: Autocracy and Its People
1. People’s Hearts as the Regime of Regimes
2. Restoring Normalcy during Involution
3. Governing Hong Kong by Loving the Nation
4. Pandemic Nationalism from Wuhan to China - co-authored with Pichamon Yeophantong
5. Xi Jinping’s Quest for Acceptance
6. Relational Democracy of Confucianism
7. A Pluriversal Dialogue with Ubuntu - co-authored with Raoul Bunskoek
Conclusion
Appendix: The Diagrammatic Logic of Counter-governmentality
