Conditional Democracy: The Contemporary Debate on Political Reform in Chinese Universities

This book focuses on politically committed Chinese academics who have taken part in the debate on political reform in China since the 1990s. Within the boundaries dictated by (self-)censorship, the debate on political reform in Chinese universities reveals the great diversity of aspirations for change among the elites. Mapping this debate enables us to understand the various conceptions of the current regime held by intellectuals throughout China, and to identify the fault lines that have materialized since the June Fourth repression. Analysing these scholars' discussions, which have an impact on political elites and public opinion, and which reflect their respective yearnings and fears, albeit in a distorted manner, is an engaging angle from which to appreciate the diversity of approaches to the issue of China's democratisation.

Table of Contents:
PART ONE Post-Revolution Catching Up. Chapter 1: 'Horses in a Paddock'?: The Condition of Chinese AcademicsA- Reopening humanities departments: the Great Leap Forward (1978-2010)B- The status of researchers in ChinaC- Reconstituting political science in Chinese universitiesChapter 2: Two Generations of Politically Committed ScholarsA- Characterising the generation of the Cultural RevolutionB- The little red guards generationC- Two generations divided over the Cultural RevolutionPART TWO The Spectrum and Fragmentation of Intellectual CommitmentsChapter 3: A Market, or a Battle of Ideas?A- Intellectuals and patriotismB- Technocracy and the market of ideasC- A typology of forms of intellectual intervention Chapter 4: Assessment of the Reforms and Reawakening of the IntelligentsiaA- Liberalising in the 1980s as a response to the Cultural RevolutionB- Post-Tiananmen mutism C- Consensual assessment of the reforms and the first fragmentation of the intelligentsiaPART THREE The Conditions of DemocratisationChapter 5: A Democratisation with Chinese Characteristics?A- A Chinese transition towards a Western-style democracy?B- The Case for a neo-conservative democracyC- Has democratisation started?D- The contours of a 'democracy with Chinese characteristics'CONCLUSION

About the Author :
Emilie Frenkiel is an associate professor in the Administration and International exchange faculty at University Paris Est. Her research interests include Chinese intellectuals, political representation, political reform and participatory innovations in China. A former student of the Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, she holds a PhD in political studies from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales. She has worked in research and teaching institutions including the College de France, Sciences Po Paris, the University of Exeter, and Beijing University. She is a member of the editorial board of the social science journals laviedesidees.fr and booksandideas.net and of the newly founded Revue Internationale du Politique en Chine. She has recently published La Chine en mouvements (ed.), Presses Universitaires de France, October 2013.

Review :
'In the west, where most of us think that democracy based on competitive elections is mankind's ultimate and inevitable political journey's end, we tend to hear only the opinions of Chinese who share our beliefs. Emilie Frenkiel's book gives voice to a large number of prominent Chinese academics, helping us better understand - without reinforcing our prejudices - what that country's academic elite thinks about their present and prospective political system. This rich, informative and refreshing inquiry will help us view the contemporary political debate in China through less distorted lenses.' Pasquale Pasquino, New York University 'Emilie Frenkiel's book thoroughly renews our understanding of the Chinese debate on democracy and political reform - a debate often simplistically presented in the West through typologies differentiating 'liberalism', 'new left' or 'cultural nationalism'. She studies the biographical itineraries, the works, the modes of involvement in public debate and the relationship with the political authorities of twenty prominent intellectuals, and she uncovers rarely studied realities: how the 'market of ideas' works, how to have influence on leaders, and in particular how to spell out acceptable criticisms in the Chinese context. She also originally shows that beyond the diversity of viewpoints, Chinese intellectuals share a technocratic vision of politics, an obsession with the meritocratic ideal and an approach to democracy based on capacity - on the conviction that the Chinese population is not yet up to the task of electing its leaders. A milestone.' Pierre Rosanvallon, College de France 'The official political discourse in China is uniform and, to be frank, boring. Over the last three decades, however, Chinese intellectuals have been carrying out fascinating and often heated debates about China's political future. Drawing on extensive interviews with the key players, Emilie Frenkiel brings these debates to light. Thought-provoking and balanced, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about China's political possibilities.' Daniel A Bell, Tsinghua University, Beijing 'Emilie Frenkiel's book is fascinating for all scholars that work on, or are interested in, China, but it will also be of interest for political theorists. The debate among Chinese intellectuals - especially political scientists active in the public sphere - shows how they are trying to conceptualise an original path to democracy in the twenty-first century, and demonstrates clearly that beyond the rule of the CCP, the country is moving politically very fast. This provincialises Europe and the USA: part of this debate is highly specific, but another one echoes the search for an answer to the crisis of political representation in Western countries. A book that helps us to better understand the world we live in.' Yves Sintomer, Universite Paris 8