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The Environmental Civil Society and the Transformation of State‐Society Relations in China: Building a Tri‐level Analytical Framework
Author(s) -
Lin Tehchang,
Lin Jean Yenchun
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
pacific focus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.172
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1976-5118
pISSN - 1225-4657
DOI - 10.1111/j.1976-5118.2007.tb00299.x
Subject(s) - civil society , china , state (computer science) , chinese society , political science , economic system , public administration , political economy , sociology , law , economics , politics , algorithm , computer science
State‐society relations is a conventional tool used in analyzing the relational behavioral pattern of between the state and the society. In China, market reforms and open policy since 1978 have engendered the growth of environmental civil society organizations and thereby enhanced the changes in the nature of state‐society relations. However, the analysis of Chinese state‐society relations has in the past largely been two‐dimensional, focusing on domestic relations. However, changing patterns of state‐society relations in China has called for a more elaborate tri‐level analytical framework of the state, its main civil society representative, domestic non‐governmental organizations, and international non‐governmental organizations. Through the study of environmental protests such as anti‐dam construction demonstrations, we have found that domestically, Chinese environmental nongovernmental organizations not only act as a challenger to the state, but at times collaborate with the state. From an external perspective, international non‐governmental organizations not only directly challenge the Chinese state, but also network with local Chinese NGOs in their protests. This article thus adds a new level to the conventional analysis of state‐society relations in China.