The Meaning of Citizenship in Contemporary Chinese Society: An Empirical Study through Western Lens (Governance and Citizenship in Asia)

This book is a direct and empirical response to the mounting official interest in citizenship education, increasing dynamics between state and society, and growing citizenship awareness and practice in society in contemporary China. Placing the focus on society, the book investigates the meaning of the Chinese term gongmin – equivalent to ‘citizen’ – in non-official media discourses and in university students’ and migrant workers’ perceptions, through the constructed analytical lens of Western citizenship conception. By laying out the complex details of how the meaning of the term resembles and deviates in and between collective social discourses and individual citizens’ understandings with reference to state discourses, the book makes clear that there is discrepancy in the meaning of gongmin between state and society and that the meaning varies in contemporary Chinese society. Cutting across multiple topics, this book is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in Chinese citizenship, East-West citizenship, citizenship education, the media, university students and migrant workers in China. This book is a direct and empirical response to the mounting official interest in citizenship education, increasing dynamics between state and society, and growing citizenship awareness and practice in society in contemporary China. Placing the focus on society, the book investigates the meaning of the Chinese term gongmin - equivalent to 'citizen' - in non-official media discourses and in university students' and migrant workers' perceptions, through the constructed analytical lens of Western citizenship conception. By laying out the complex details of how the meaning of the term resembles and deviates in and between collective social discourses and individual citizens' understandings with reference to state discourses, the book makes clear that there is discrepancy in the meaning of gongmin between state and society and that the meaning varies in contemporary Chinese society. Cutting across multiple topics, this book is a valuable resource for students and r esearchers interested in Chinese citizenship, East-West citizenship, citizenship education, the media, university students and migrant workers in China This book is a direct and empirical response to the mounting official interest in citizenship education, increasing dynamics between state and society, and growing citizenship awareness and practice in society in contemporary China. Placing the focus on society, the book investigates the meaning of the Chinese term gongmin - equivalent to `citizen' - in non-official media discourses and in university students' and migrant workers' perceptions, through the constructed analytical lens of Western citizenship conception. By laying out the complex details of how the meaning of the term resembles and deviates in and between collective social discourses and individual citizens' understandings with reference to state discourses, the book makes clear that there is discrepancy in the meaning of gongmin between state and society and that the meaning varies in contemporary Chinese society.0Cutting across multiple topics, this book is a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in Chinese citizenship, East-West citizenship, citizenship education, the media, university students and migrant workers in China Front Matter ....Pages i-xviii Introduction: Citizenship, Education, East and West (Sicong Chen)....Pages 1-20 Front Matter ....Pages 21-21 Evolving Citizenship Conception in the West (Sicong Chen)....Pages 23-42 Citizenship and the State in Contemporary China (Sicong Chen)....Pages 43-74 Front Matter ....Pages 75-75 Gongmin as Identity (Sicong Chen)....Pages 77-97 Rights and Responsibilities of Gongmin (Sicong Chen)....Pages 99-117 Gongmin and Participation (Sicong Chen)....Pages 119-132 From Gongmin to Citizenship and Citizenship Education (Sicong Chen)....Pages 133-145 Conclusion: Possible Change, Necessary Work (Sicong Chen)....Pages 147-150 Back Matter ....Pages 151-162