China Seminar | 10 December 1998

The Rise of Parallel (Civil) Society in China

Kate Zhou

A political science professor offers to discuss an interesting and emerging phenomenon, that of the appearance of a parallel or civil society in China, long known for its strong state and weak society. That this parallel society should find at its core intellectuals and artists who are concerned with intellectual property rights and not just economic rights is what gives this phenomenon some semblance of durability. Please come for what promises to be an interesting talk touching on intellectual property rights, U.S.-China relations over this issue, and some new perspectives on China’s reform direction.

Kate Xiao Zhou, a native of Wuhan, China, is assistant professor of comparative politics and political economy of East Asia in the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaii. Her main research interests include the dynamics of transition from central planning to markets, Chinese economic development, globalization in East Asia, and Asian entrepreneurship. She has published articles on political economy and women’s studies, along with a book titled How the Farmers Changed China: Power of the People. Her book is unusual for its “farmers’ eye view” approach, which includes folk rhymes and sayings along with interviews of government officials. Her thesis about the roots of the Chinese reform process has generated considerable controversy in the field of China studies.