Abstract :
Join our first Chinese scholar Mr. Tao Liu's Anthropology Talk "The Rise and Fall of Civil Society in Contemporary China" on April 4 @5:30pm in WCC WES room. This speech examines the history of NGOs in contemporary China and argues that 'civil society' is a narrative and interpretation that shape and mobilize the movement of NGOs in China.
Full Message :
This event is open to all CC members and the general public. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are believed to be an essential part of civil society, and are considered to play a crucial role in making a democratic regime. In doing so, NGOs are supposed to empower people and encourage mass participation. However, certain countries, mainly in Latin America and Asia, have had significant growth of NGOs but not yet made great progress in terms of transition towards democracy. This is especially true in China, where numerous NGOs have setup within the last two decades or more and are continuing to multiply. While existing studies have been debating the applicability of the concept of 'civil society' to China's historical situation, this speech attempts to examine the brief history of NGOs in contemporary China and argue that 'civil society' is not only a term of 'value neutrality' but also a narrative and interpretation that shape and mobilize the movement of NGOs in China. Mr. Tao Liu is a PhD candidate in the Anthropology of Development at University of Sussex (UK). His research interest is mainly on Nonprofits in contemporary China. He is also the founder and CEO of New Austral Institute of Social Development (NAISD).