Tsinghua University Center for Study of Contemporary China

◆Introduction

Tsinghua University Center for Study of Contemporary China (CSCC) is affiliated to Tsinghua University School of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is a research institute studying issues of contemporary China using a multidisciplinary approach. Members of the Center are all teachers and researchers of Tsinghua University, with outside support from Chinese and foreign experts.

CSCC studies frontier or important issues affecting development of China. It advocates a problem-centered means of research and methods of generating knowledge. The Center emphasizes cooperation on three levels: with government agencies to provide options for public policy making; organizing collaboration and exchanges among researchers to raise quality of research in key issues and to sustain such research; and providing data and opportunities of participation to young researchers and students to stimulate their interest in researches important to the country and society.

◆Organization

l        The Center has a sustained research program (a research institute) and an expert network; a government cooperation program, a research and training program, a database and a website;

l        It has an academic committee and an administrative committee;

l        It has a director, representing the Center externally; an office, responsible for administration;

l        The present director is Professor Li Qiang (Deputy Dean of Tsinghua University School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dean of Department of Sociology, doctoral supervisor);

l        The executive director is Professor Shen Yuan;

l        The Deputy Director is Professor Tan Shen;

l        The executive secretary of the office is Ms Li Caixia.

◆The Sustained Research Program

Labor studies started since 1993. Once receiving funds from The Ford Foundation, Asia Foundation, among others. Currently engaged in a research and training series concerning one of the disadvantaged groups - the floating population, such as survey on safety and safeguards of migrant workers, and training of migrant female workers in Pearl River Delta. A researchers network has been initially established, and a database for labor studies is being established. The responsible person is Professor Tan Shen.

Studies of oral accounts of Chinese society and history was initiated in 1993. Once receiving funds from the National Social Sciences Foundation. Already published 15 working papers describing and interpreting impacts of major economic and social changes on daily life of farmers. The responsible person is Professor Sun Liping.

Public policy studies with respect to population, resources, environment, and sustainable development started in 1999. Including studies on lay-offs in large cities of northern China, studies on Three Gorges migration and sustainable development, studies on compensation and restoration mechanisms for water resources, studies on evaluation of major projects from the perspective of social sciences, and studies on regional development. The responsible person is Professor Li Qiang.

Studies on hi-tech development and social changes started in 1997. Responsible person, Professor Shen Yuan.

Urban Studies started in 1998. Courses already offered to university students. Responsible person, Professor Zheng Yefu.

Studies on old age problems started in 2000. Responsible person, Professor Pei Xiaomei.

Studies on Social Policies and Laws started in 2000. Focusing on policy and legal researches on labor and employment, education, social security, gender equality, and environment protection. Aimed to promote development and teaching of social legal science and draw attention to disadvantaged groups in social transition and to social justice. Responsible person, Professor Jing Jun.

【Major Studies Outside the Sustained Research Program】

They include trust issue in small groups, social capital and economic development, social security reform and social justice, civil groups and civil awareness, virtual community and civil society, market development and social changes.

◆Experts Network

The network has a relatively fixed team of Chinese and foreign experts participating in the Center’s researches, academic activities, or providing consulting services to the projects.

The present undertakings of the network include government cooperation projects, training projects, and publication work for the Center.

Responsible person, Professor Li Dun.

◆Government cooperation projects are a channel for the Center to provide social services. The Center establishes projects with ministries, commissions, and offices of the central government and local governments through agreements. It selects issues raised by the governments and organizes internal and external forces to study them before presenting theoretical interpretation or policy recommendations. Meanwhile, the Center assists the government to carry out social surveys and establish research or experiment bases.

Now government projects underway include Langzhong Project, Compensation and Restoration Mechanisms for Water Resources Project of Ministry of Water Conservancy and Water Power, Procedure Design for Environment Evaluation of Major Projects of SEPA, and the Information Consulting Center (ICC) Project of the National Library.

Project with ICC provides that documentations and data needed for researches of the Center’s government projects shall be provided by ICC of the National Library. Experts Network’s other projects with ICC include establishing a database for government publications and a database for Chinese national conditions.

Research and training projects include: accepting Chinese and foreign scholars for designated studies; holding workshops in China studies for Chinese and foreign researchers; holding all kinds of workshops requested by government or other organizations.

Similarly, ICC will provide assistance in documentations for the research and training projects of the center.

◆Publications, database, and website

Publications involve: law and society; labor issues; gender and development; old age issue. They reflect work of the Center and its phased achievements.

Website of the Center is initially established and the database is being prepared. They are created to share resources and you can find here data and research results of the Center and networked experts.

◆Contact us

Postal Address: 100084, 4^th Floor, Wenke North Building, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

Tel: 8610-6277-1827

Fax: 8610-6277-2740

Email: soc@tsinghua.edu.cn