Social mobilization in a changing China: A critical review of the literature

Abstract

Social mobilization has long been considered a major characteristic of Chinese life and, more recently, a key aspect of China’s state capacity. The existing literature on social mobilization in the country, however, is characterized by studies of pre-1978 China, many of which are scattered and fragmentary. This problem has not only resulted in misjudging the vital role of social mobilization as a process of change and an analytical construct, but has also overlooked the work of other researchers, especially those in China, studying a wide range of aspects of socio-economic and socio-political activities in present-day China. As a result, the research literature has not kept pace with the pro..