CEFC

New European Research on Contemporary China Conference

 07/02/2014 / 07/04/2014

 Pékin

2nd Edition

Dates: July 2-4, 2014

Venue: Beijing (Delegation of the European Union to China)

 

This conference aims to bring together doctoral candidates, post-doctoral researchers and recent PhDs based in China, either European nationals or affiliated with European research institutions, in order to produce an overview of the emerging problematics in Chinese studies. The focus of the conference is on contemporary China, in a multi-disciplinary social science perspective.

 

Organizers:

French Center for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC) and Sino-French Academic Center (CFC, Tsinghua University)
EURAXESS Links China

 

Supported by:

Delegation of the European Union to China
European Center for China Studies (ECCS), Peking University
Heinrich-Böll Foundation
Think in China

 

Scientific Committee

Jean-Philippe Béja (CEFC Beijing/Hong Kong)
Jean-Pierre Cabestan (Baptist University, Hong Kong)
Sylvie Démurger (CNRS-GATE, Lyon)
Bettina Gransow (Freie Universität Berlin)
Aurore Merle (CEFC, Hong Kong; Tsinghua University, Beijing)
Matthias Niedenführ (European Centre for China Studies, Peking University)
David O’Brien (University of Nottingham-Ningbo)
David Palmer (The University of Hong Kong)
Eva Pils (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Christoph Steinhardt (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Sebastian Veg (CEFC, Hong Kong)

 

Argument

The reforms launched in the late 1970s have deeply transformed Chinese society, but also research on China: the theoretical and methodological challenges raised by reform-era China have opened up a vast laboratory for researchers in humanities and social sciences. Along with the growing exchanges between China and Europe, the number of European doctoral candidates and recent PhDs in humanities and social sciences doing research in and studying China has increased; many young Chinese scholars also choose to bring their expertise on contemporary China to European academic institutions. They all represent the future of European research on contemporary China.

The main purpose of this Conference held for the second time in Beijing is to provide a forum for these young researchers at the European level and in China. The success of the first edition held in 2012 which gathered 50 young researchers from 15 countries (selected among 130 applicants) confirmed the necessity to provide such a forum for reflection and discussion.

The Conference will be an occasion to facilitate exchanges on common research subjects, compare perspectives and methodologies, and promote interdisciplinary dialogue. By providing a space for debate and reflection, the Conference intends to contribute to the emergence of more diverse theoretical approaches on the subject. It will enable the participants not only to expand their network and broaden their horizon, but also to take part in the construction of European research networks and promote China-Europe dialogue.

The participants will present their research during thematic panels. Each speaker will deliver a paper in English, followed by a discussion with invited scholars and specialists. Among the different topics:

Topic 1: State construction and reform in China: dynamics of the political and legal systems, the role of the Party, ideologies, foreign policy and international relations.

Topic 2: Economic reforms and sustainable development: industrial development, enterprises, innovation policies, environmental issues.

Topic 3: Territorial and social reconfigurations: centre-local relations, urban and rural development, social policies, social stratification and social groups, migrations, inequalities.

Topic 4: Civil society and social movements: civil rights activism, social history, citizen action, state-society relations.

Topic 5: Traditional and new identities: religions and cultural communities.

Topic 6: Intellectual debates and cultural production: literature and arts, cinema and television.

 

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