Does ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’ suffice for Communism in contemporary China?

By Alfie Cranmer, Student of UNNC Summer School 2015. As you take a look around the busy streets of Shanghai, observing the mass crowds squeezing their way into H&M and Zara whilst you sip on your tall Frappuccino in Starbucks, it’s easy to forget that the ruling Communist Party (CPC) claim the People’s Republic of …

Society and Faith in Contemporary China

By Mani Lazzara, PhD Candidate School of Contemporary Chinese Studies, University of Nottingham UK. The history of modern China is characterised by events which have greatly affected its attitude towards religion in a various number of ways; from the control exerted by the Communist Party in order to incorporate religion into the state, to the …

Not Everyone Loves Social Media

By Dr. Shixin Ivy Zhang, Assistant Professor in Journalism Studies, School of International Communications, University of Nottingham Ningbo China. The most popular term in 2013 may be ‘phubbing’, a combination of ‘phone’ and ‘snub’. This term was coined by Macquarie Dictionary team in Australia in 2012. It refers to the annoying habit of snubbing someone …

Reforming China’s Science and Technology System

By Dr. Cao Cong, Associate Professor and Reader, at the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies, The University of Nottingham UK. Despite more money, better trained talent, and sophisticated equipment, China’s domestic innovation system is still underperforming. The root of these problems can be found at the macro, meso, and micro levels of governance of the …

Summarizing and Reflecting on “The Chinese Communist Party and the Politicization of Traditions” Workshop

By Dr. Ming-Yeh T. Rawnsley, China Media Centre at the University of Westminster, UK. A workshop on “The Chinese Communist Party and the Politicization of Traditions” took place at the University of Zurich, 6–8 June 2013. It brought together political scientists, East Asian Studies specialists and China observers to discuss what, why and how traditions …

Chinese Connections: Communication and Complexity

By Shipra Khanna, Studying International Media and Communications Studies with Chinese at the University of Nottingham UK. As a student of International Media at the University of Nottingham UK, I have continually been intrigued by China and it’s censorship upon social media and communication. I have always had the opinion that indeed restriction and censorship …