Social Construction And Social Development In Contemporary China

What is the social structure of Chinese society in the 21st century? How should China address the problem of migrant workers? How can China form a modern society? These key sociological issues are some of the topics this book covers. This book is a collection of the research articles and lectures that Dr. Lu Xueyi, the former Head of the Institute of Sociology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, has published since the 1980s. The author discusses the social structure, social stratification, social construction, and development of contemporary Chinese society. Arguing that the gap between economic and social development has become the major social issue facing modern China, the author advocates paying close attention to the country’s social structure and the growth of the middle class. The book will be of interest to all scholars and students of Sociology and Chinese Studies.

Placing the modernization of China in a historical context, Social Construction in Contemporary China provides a powerful argument that social construction is instrumental for the country's modernization process and a key factor in China’s national rejuvenation. A wide range of topics and issues related to social construction are covered, including people's livelihood and social undertakings, income distribution, urban and rural communities, community organizations, social management, social norms, reforms of social institutions and systems, social restructuring and the process of social construction. In addition to well-informed and insightful analyses of these subjects that draw on the country's historical experiences, contributors also provide policy suggestions on how to tackle problems and respond to challenges. Its breadth and depth make this volume a valuable addition to the growing body of literature on this important topic.

This book is a collection of the research articles and lectures that Dr. Lu Xueyi, the former Head of the Institute of Sociology at the Chinese Academy of social sciences has published since the 1980s. The author discusses the social construction, social stratification, social construction and development of contemporary Chinese society.

This book is the third study done by the Research Group on Social Structure Change in Contemporary China, a group affiliated with the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The group has focused on the process of development and change in contemporary Chinese social structure and come to the following conclusions.Contemporary China is transitioning from a traditional agricultural and rural society to a modern industrialized and urban society; from a highly centralized planned economy to a robust socialist market economic system. The entire society is undertaking an unprecedented evolution. During the three decades of reform and opening up, China has made brilliant achievements, never seen before in history. Now, China is in a critical period of reform and opening up, with very complex, far-reaching and closely intertwined social problems, which are also unprecedented.After deep and detailed analysis the Research Group believes that these problems cannot be resolved only by economic methods. In order to get to the roots of these social problems, China must develop new social policies, strengthen the social structure and carry out social system reform. The core purpose of the book is to recommend theories and methods on social structure to society and readers, and to investigate the development and change in China's social structure. We believe that social structure theory, a brand-new point of view to analyze the current situation, is capable of deciphering the social contradictions in China's development to some extent, as opposed to mere economic theory, which is inadequate to fully address the structural problems in China.

What is the social structure of Chinese society in the 21st century? How should China address the problem of migrant workers? How can China form a modern society? These key sociological issues are some of the topics this book covers. This book is a collection of the research articles and lectures that Dr. Lu Xueyi, the former Head of the Institute of Sociology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, has published since the 1980s. The author discusses the social structure, social stratification, social construction, and development of contemporary Chinese society. Arguing that the gap between economic and social development has become the major social issue facing modern China, the author advocates paying close attention to the country’s social structure and the growth of the middle class. The book will be of interest for all scholars and students of Sociology and Chinese Studies.

This book offers a comprehensive review of the far-reaching social changes that have taken place since the start of the Chinese economic reform and opening up of Chinese society over 30 years ago. As such, it examines various aspects of the social transformation of China, from urbanization, population aging and social governance to family structure, youth society and social mentality. It identifies major issues and challenges emerging during the process of the great social change, and proposes solutions to aid in future strategic planning. The analysis is supported by a wealth of empirical data collected in the course of extended social survey research. The book also provides a systematic summary of the most important research findings from the past few years, helping readers to understand and interpret the ongoing and complex process of transformation in Chinese society.

In China’s future social development, there is likely to be an interest in “society building” with interactions between top-down and bottom-up approaches, along with a deepened level of social reform and the construction of a harmonious or “symbiotic” society. This represents one of China’s social development models, and is reflected in the Communist Party of China (CPC) and state policy. The term “society building” was proposed by Chinese thinkers nearly one century ago, and has been used by Chinese sociologists to study Chinese society since the 1930s. In the 21st century, “society building” has been approached as an interdisciplinary concept by Chinese social scientists. The main concern of China for its future social development is to enhance its people’s wellbeing and encourage them to build Chinese society in innovative and creative ways. This volume showcases the latest research of non-Chinese scholars relating to this indigenous concept and to China’s social development in the global context. It tackles the following topics: the assessment of the social impact of infrastructure projects; China’s reforms and its changing political system; whether or not the Singapore model is suitable for China to follow; soft power through education; and boundaries, cosmopolitanisms and spaces in Chinese and international cities. The book will be of interest to academics, professionals, practitioners, university students and the general public seeking a comprehensive understanding of China.