Search for book title or author's last name

Contemporary China - An Introduction

No Author/Editor data available

Price: $44.95

Add to Cart

About the Book

This book presents a concise introduction to contemporary China. It is intended as a first book for those coming new to the subject, providing the essential information that most people need to know, without going into excessive detail. Its coverage includes the economy, society, politics and international relations; China's history, especially the twentieth century; and Taiwan and Hong Kong as well as the People's Republic of China.

The book provides an up-to-date and clear guide to the often bewildering changes which have taken place in China in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. It draws on the enormous body of empirical and theoretical research that is being carried out by economists, political scientists and sociologists on contemporary China, but is itself written in non-technical and accessible language. It does not assume any previous knowledge of China and explanations of Chinese terms are provided throughout the book. It includes a map, a chronology, a glossary of Chinese terms, biographical notes on key figures, and a guide to further reading.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction. Chapter 1 Land and People. Chapter 2 China’s Past in the Present. Part 2: The Economy. Chapter 3 Economic Growth and the Changing Economy. Chapter 4 Rural Economy. Chapter 5 Urban and Industrial Economy. Chapter 6 Banking, Finance and Foreign Trade. Chapter 7 Tourism and Transport. Part 3: Society. Chapter 8 Rural and Urban Social Change. Chapter 9 Education and Health. Chapter 10 Law and Human Rights. Chapter 11 Mass Media. Chapter 12 Religion and Ethnic Minorities. Chapter 13 Gender and Modernisation. Chapter 14 Environment. Part 4: Politics and International Relations. Chapter 15 Government and Politics. Chapter 16 Fourth Generation Leadership. Chapter 17 Tibet. Chapter 18 Xinjiang. Chapter 19 Hong Kong. Chapter 20 Taiwan. Chapter 21 Western development programme. Chapter 22 China and the world 1: strategic relationships. Chapter 23 China and the world 2: new neighbours to the west. Chapter 24 China Rising and a "harmonious society"?

About the Author(s)

Michael Dillon is a frequent commentator on Chinese affairs for the BBC and other broadcasters. He was formerly Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Durham, UK, where he taught Chinese and Chinese history. His previous publications include China: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary, China's Muslim Hui Community: Migration, Settlement and Sects and Xinjiang: China’s Muslim Far Northwest (all published by Routledge and RoutledgeCurzon).