CHINA STUDIES IN THE AGE OF XI

This essay discusses the study of the People’s Republic of China (hereafter, the PRC) in Aotearoa New Zealand. It takes as a working assumption that the PRC – the world’s most populous nation state, the second-largest national economy, and a modern, highly diverse, innovative and interesting society – is worthy of our attention as scholars. It points out that social science research on the PRC is being disrupted just as the PRC increases its global power and influence making quality independent China knowledge more important than ever. Two main disruptors are explored. The first is that governance in the People’s Republic has hardened around a PRC model that is antagonistic toward independent China studies. The second is that many governments and publics in liberal democracies have hardened their position toward the PRC to the point where China scholarship and knowledge have become highly politicised. The essay advocates building resilience by anchoring research in Aotearoa New Zealand, promoting high academic standards, seeking a balance between disciplinary specialisation and area expertise, maintaining honest engagement, emphasising knowledge generation as a prerequisite for knowledge transfer, and remembering our humanity.