Citizenship Education in China—Preparing Citizens for the "Chinese Century"

There is a flourishing literature on citizenship education in China that is mostly unknown in the West. Liberal political theorists often assume that only in democracy should citizens be prepared for their future responsibilities, yet citizenship education in China has undergone a number of transformations as the political system has sought to cope with market reforms, globalization and pressures both externally and within the country for broader political reforms. Over the past decade, Chinese scholars have been struggling for official recognition of citizenship education as a key component of the school curriculum in these changing contexts. This book analyzes the citizenship education issues under discussion within China, and aims to provide a voice for its scholars at a time when China’s international role is becoming increasingly important.

Kerry J. Kennedy is Chair Professor of Curriculum Studies and Co-Director of the Centre for Governance and Citizenship at The Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Gregory P. Fairbrother is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences, and a Research Fellow in the Centre for Governance and Citizenship at The Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Zhenzhou Zhao is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Centre for Governance and Citizenship at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.