China - All that glitters is not gold! (August 2008)

On the occasion of the XXIX. Summer Olympics in Beijing, the August “Research Special” focuses on the numerous social science aspects and facets offered by the world’s most populated nation.

The rapid ascent of China’s economy over a span of just three decades has garnered the Chinese state much international respect coupled with anxious reverence, along with simultaneously being the cause of a number of social problems within the country. Whereas cities are burdened with overpopulation and air pollution, rural areas remain in an antiquated state of underdevelopment. The frequently cited gap between rich and poor is bigger than ever and the ruthless, forced capitalist upswing frequently comes at the expense of numerous factory and migrant workers.

Additionally, the Communist government’s rigid course of domestic policy complicates the life of the Chinese population with censorship of the press, suppressed freedom of speech and a merciless family planning policy.

China is more feared than respected on the international policy stage due to its large population and power politics. The ongoing conflict with Tibet, the aspiration to rise to the level of an Asian superpower, China’s opaque role in the Darfur conflict - all of these factors are reasons for Western observers to look increasingly skeptically towards the East.

The August “Research Special” is dedicated to a variety of different aspects emerging in social science studies on this Asian country. The five separate chapters dealing with different topics list current literature and research references from the GESIS databases SOLIS and SOFIS as well as from the international CSA-databases.

Go to PDF (free of charge).