The Local China Project: An Introduction

This event of 30/09/2024 is co organized with the University of Sydney as part of the EU-funded "China Horizons"project “Dealing with a Resurgent China” (DWARC) The identification of ‘local’ China emphasises the importance of the variety of experience across China, within city regions, counties, cities, towns and villages, and in everyday life.  The development of the PRC and its place in the world is shaped as much by localisation as by globalisation. China’s size and scale are such that by both policy design and practice domestic social, political, and economic development are highly localised. In a very real sense there are many Chinas and in order to understand the PRC’s international interactions as well as its domestic development it is crucial to appreciate the depth of variety of experience in and across localities as well as how those differences interact within the political system. Research and expertise that understands the many dimensions of China’s local development is essential for interpreting and managing China’s global impact in politics and economics. This is not to discount the role and influence of the PRC Party-state nationally. Nor are the geopolitical environment, international relations or leadership politics of no consequence to understanding the PRC’s evolution, even at local levels. At the same time, there are limitations to analysis that approaches social, political and economic change without proceeding from or incorporating local China.  The Local China Project is dedicated to examining and interpreting the variety of social, political and economic change in the PRC at and within the more basic levels of the state system in all its varied manifestations and from multi-disciplinary perspectives.  Speakers:  Yingjie Guo, The Local Future Beibei Tang, Urban Neighbourhood Governance Minglu Chen, Local States and Traditional Chinese Medicine David Goodman, The origins of local entrepreneurs Chair and discussant : Jean-Louis Rocca, Sciences Po-CERI Scientific coordinators : Jean-Louis Rocca, Sciences Po-CERI, Camille Salgues, Sciences Po-CERI and Lingyue Tang Sciences Po-CERI