Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:08:43.142Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Chinese IR Scholarship as a Relational Epistemology in the Study of China's Rise

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Hung-jen Wang
Hung-jen Wang*
Affiliation:
National Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan (ROC). Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Current anti-Chinese sentiment in the international community has emerged from a knowledge-production background that entails the material fact of China's rising power and ideational factors tied to how the rising China phenomenon is interpreted. The ideational factors can be divided into two groups. One analyses China according to established Western IR theories that describe the country in terms of either threat or opportunity, thereby rendering China as part of an established universal ontology. A second group approaches China's experiences in a more sympathetic light, but still conceptualizes China's rise according to fixed categories such as “nation-state.” This paper argues that both of these groups are guilty of creating self-fulfilling prophecies – that is, they consistently theorize China in opposition to the West owing to the rational epistemology upon which they built their knowledge or perceptions of China. This epistemology conflicts with the efforts of Chinese IR scholars to evaluate China's rise in a relational manner.

摘要

摘要

目前国际上所弥漫的反中情绪，主要来自于一个知识建构的背景，其包含物质层面上中国崛起的事实，以及，在观念因素上中国崛起如何被诠释的问题。观念因素又至少可以区分出两种研究社群: 一种是根据既有的西方国际关系理论来分析中国，以至於最后得出中国要不是威胁，就是机会的唯二结论，而此两种结论又脱离不了一个既定的、普世性的本体论框架; 另一种则是对中国怀有较多的同情心，但其缺陷是仍将中国崛起在概念上视为是某种民族国家类別的表现。本文认为，以上这两种研究社群都创造出一种所谓的自证预言，换言之，由于他们的理性认识论立场，以至於总将中国放在西方的对立面在进行分析，从而形成他们长久以来对中国的知识或认知。但是此种认识论立场，却正好与中国国际关系学界一直以来所尝试的努力，背道而驰。因为本文认为，后者根本就是利用关系性的认识论角度在理解他们所认为的中国崛起，而非吾人传统所熟知的理性思维。

Keywords

China's riseChinese IR scholarshipanti-Chineserelationalepistemology中国崛起中国国际关系学界反中关系性的认识论
Type
Research Report
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 245 , March 2021 , pp. 262 - 275
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London, 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acharya, Amitav, and Buzan, Barry. 2007. “Why is there no non-Western IR theory: reflections on and from Asia.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 7, 285–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ang, Yuen Yuen. 2016. How China Escaped the Poverty Trap. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Behera, Navnita Chadha. 2007. “Re-imagining IR in India.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 7, 341–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Callahan, William A. 2010. China: The Pessoptimist Nation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Callahan, William A. 2016. “China's ‘Asia dream’: the belt road initiative and the new regional order.” Asian Journal of Comparative Politics 1(3), 226–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cardenal, Juan Pablo, Kucharczyk, Jacek, Meseznikov, Grigorij and Pleschova, Gabriela. 2017. Sharp Power: Rising Authoritarian Influence. National Endowment for Democracy/International Forum for Democratic Studies, https://www.ned.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Sharp-Power-Rising-Authoritarian-Influence-Full-Report.pdf. Accessed 20 July 2018.Google Scholar
Chen, Ching-Chang. 2010. “The absence of non-Western IR theory in Asia reconsidered.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 11, 1–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheng, Yi. 1987. “Dui jianli juyou Zhongguo tese de guoji guanxi xue tixi de yijian” (Suggestion on building an IR theory system with Chinese characteristics). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi 9, 35.Google Scholar
Chong, Alan. 2007. “Southeast Asia: theory between modernization and tradition.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 7, 391–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crawford, Robert M.A., and Jarvis, D.S.L. (eds.). 2001. International Relations: Still an American Social Science? Toward Diversity in International Thought. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.Google Scholar
Delaney, Robert. 2017. “Kissinger urges greater cooperation with China as ‘the world's centre of gravity’ shifts.” South China Morning Post, 27 September, https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2112957/kissinger-urges-us-boost-cooperation-beijing-massive. Accessed 20 July 2018.Google Scholar
Deng, Xiaoping. 1982. “Selected works of Deng Xiaoping.” People's Daily (English online) vol. 3, 1 September, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/dengxp/contents3.html. Accessed 20 January 2016.Google Scholar
Halper, Stefan A. 2010. The Beijing Consensus: How China's Authoritarian Model will Dominate the Twenty-first Century. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Hao, Zhidong. 2003. Intellectuals at a Crossroads: The Changing Politics of China's Knowledge Workers. Albany, NY: State University of New York.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, Stanley. 1977. “An American social science: international relations.” Daedalus 3, 41–60.Google Scholar
Ikeda, Josuke. 2010. “The post-Western turn in international theory and the English School.” Ritsumeikan Annual Review of International Studies 9, 29–44.Google Scholar
Inoguchi, Takashi. 2007. “Are there any theories of international relations in Japan?” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 7, 369–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacques, Martin. 2009. When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order. New York: Penguin.Google Scholar
Lin, Zhimin. 1989. “Lun guoji guanxi lilun yanjiu de liangge youxian keti” (On two primary themes of studying IR theory). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi neican 5, 1–8.Google Scholar
Mei, Ran. 2000. “Gaibu gaiyou guoji zhengzhi lilun de Zhongguo xuepai? Jianping Meiguo de guoji zhengzhi lilun” (Do we need a Chinese school in IR theory? On America's international political theory). Guoji zhengzhi yanjiu 1, 63–67.Google Scholar
Noesselt, Nele. 2015. “Revisiting the debate on constructing a theory of international relations with Chinese characteristics.” The China Quarterly 222, 430–448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owen, Catherine, Heathershaw, John and Savin, Igor. 2017. “How postcolonial is post-Western IR? Mimicry and metis in the international politics of Russia and central Asia.” Review of International Studies 44, 279–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pang, Zhongying. 2003. “Kaifangshi de zizhu fazhan: dui Yingguo guoji guanxi lilun de yixiang guancha; sikao Zhongguo guoji guanxi lilun de fangxiang” (Open and independent development: an observation on international relations theories in the United Kingdom; thoughts on the direction of international relations theories in China). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi 6, 20–25.Google Scholar
Qin, Yaqing. 2005. “Theoretical problematic of international relationship theory and the construction of a Chinese school.” Social Sciences in China 3, 62–72.Google Scholar
Qin, Yaqing. 2006. “‘Shijie zhengzhilun de tansuo yu zhengming’ yizhe qianyan” (Translator's preface to the book: Exploration and Contestation in the Study of World Politics). In Yaqing, Qin (trans.), Shijie zhengzhilun de tansuo yu zhengming (Exploration and Contestation in the Study of World Politics). Shanghai: Shanghai renmin chubanshe.Google Scholar
Qin, Yaqing. 2007. “Why is there no Chinese international relations theory?” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 7, 313–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qin, Yaqing. 2016a. “Guoji zhengzhi guanxi lilun de jige jiading” (Assumptions for a relational theory of world politics). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi 10, 19–28.Google Scholar
Qin, Yaqing. 2016b. “A relational theory of world politics.” International Studies Review 18(1), 33–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ren, Xiao. 2000. “Lilun yu guoji guanxi lilun” (Theory and IR theory). Ouzhou 4, 19–25.Google Scholar
Shahi, Deepshikha, and Ascione, Gennaro. 2016. “Rethinking the absence of post-Western international relations theory in India: ‘advaitic monism’ as an alternative epistemological resource.” European Journal of International Relations 22, 313–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shih, Chih-yu. 1988. “National role conception as foreign policy motivation: the psychocultural bases of Chinese diplomacy.” Political Psychology 9(4), 599–631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shih, Chih-yu. 2011. “Role theory and China's rise.” HIS Newsletter 6(4), 3–6.Google Scholar
Shih, Chih-yu, Huang, Chiung-chiu, Yeophantong, Pichamon, Bunskoek, Raoul, Ikeda, Josuke, Hwang, Yih-Jye, Wang, Hung-jen et al. 2019. China and International Theory: The Balance of Relationships. Abingdon: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, Steve. 2002. “The United States and the discipline of international relations: ‘hegemonic country, hegemonic discipline’.” International Studies Review 4, 67–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Su, Changhe. 2016. “Guanxi lilun de xueshu yicheng” (A research agenda for the relational theory of international politics). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi 10, 29–38.Google Scholar
Su, Changhe, and Peng, Zhaocang. 1999. “Zhongguo guoji guanxi lilun de pinkun” (The poverty of Chinese international relations theory). Shijie zhishi 22, 22–24.Google Scholar
Tang, Xiaosong. 2007. “Yingguo xuepai de fazhan, gongxian han qishi” (The evolution, contribution, and enlightenment of the English School). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi 7, 21–27.Google Scholar
Walt, Stephen M. 2018. “What sort of world are we headed for?” Foreign Policy, 2 October, https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/10/02/what-sort-of-world-are-we-headed-for. Accessed 15 October 2019.Google Scholar
Wang, Cungang. 2005. “Ke jiejiande han ying pipande: guanyu yanjiu han xuexi Yingguo xuepai de sikao” (Can be used for reference and should be criticized: thoughts on the study and learning of the English School). Ouzhou yanjiu 4, 48–52.Google Scholar
Wang, Hongying. 2003. “National image building and Chinese foreign policy.” China: An International Journal 1, 46–72.Google Scholar
Wang, Hung-jen. 2013. The Rise of China and Chinese International Relations (IR) Scholarship. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.Google Scholar
Wang, Jianwei, Lin, Zhimin and Zhao, Yuliang. 1986. “Nuli chuangjian woguo ziji de guoji guanxi lilun tixi” (Try to build our own IR theory system). Shijie jingji yu zhengzhi neican 9, 1–7.Google Scholar
Wang, Lian. 1994. “‘Jianshe you Zhongguo tese de guoji guanxi lilun’ xueshu yantaohui zongshu” (Summary of “building an IR theory with Chinese characteristics” conference). Guoji zhengzhi yanjiu 3, 44–47.Google Scholar
Wang, Qinghua, and Guo, Gang. 2015. “Yu Keping and Chinese intellectual discourse on good governance.” The China Quarterly 224, 985–1005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Yiwei. 2009. “China: between copying and constructing.” In Tickner, Arlene B. and Waever, Ole (eds.), International Relations Scholarship around the World. New York: Routledge, 111–14.Google Scholar
Wang, Yizhou. 1995. Dangdai guoji zhengzhi xilun (Analysis of Contemporary International Politics). Shanghai: People's Publishing House.Google Scholar
Wang, Yizhou. 1998. “Zhongguo guoji zhengzhi lilun yanjiu de jige wenti” (Some questions on China's international politics studies). In Zhongyun, Zi (ed.), Guoji zhengzhi lilun tansuo zai Zhongguo (Discussions on International Political Theory in China). Shanghai: Shanghai renmin chubanshe, 2–28.Google Scholar
Xu, Jianxin. 2007. “Tianxia tixi yu shijie zhidu: ping Tianxia tisi: shijie zhidu zhexue daolun” (The tianxia system and world system: review of The Tianxia System: An Introduction to the Philosophy of a World Institution). Guoji zhengzhi kexue 2, 113–142.Google Scholar
Yan, Xuetong. 2004. “Heping jueqi yu baozhang heping” (Peaceful rise and peace building). Guoji wenti yanjiu 3, 12–16.Google Scholar
Yan, Xuetong. 2011a. “Guoji lingdao yu guoji guifan de yanhua” (The evolution of international leadership and international norms). Guoji zhengzhi kexue 1, 1–28.Google Scholar
Yan, Xuetong. 2011b. Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power. Bell, Daniel and Zhe, Sun (eds.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Yan, Xuetong. 2014. “An international relations theory of moral realism.” Study of International Questions 5, 102–138.Google Scholar
Yan, Xuetong, and Huang, Yuxing. 2008. “Zhan guo ce de baquan sixiang ji qishi” (Inspiration of The Annals of the Warring States and its hegemonic thoughts). Guoji zhengzhi kexue 4, 79–102.Google Scholar
Zhang, Feng. 2010. “The tianxia system: world order in a Chinese utopia.” China Heritage Quarterly 21, 1–5.Google Scholar
Zhang, Feng. 2012. “The Tsinghua approach and the inception of Chinese theories of international relations.” The Chinese Journal of International Politics 5(1), 73–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, Xiaoming. 2011. “Zhongguo de jueqi yu guoji guifan de bianqian” (China's rise and change in international norms). Waijiao pinglun 1, 34–47.Google Scholar
Zhang, Yongjin, and Chang, Teng-chi (eds.). 2016. Constructing a Chinese School of International Relations: Ongoing Debates and Sociological Realities. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, Tingyang. 2005. Tianxia tixi: shijie zhidu zhexue daolun (The Tianxia System: An Introduction to the Philosophy of a World Institution). Nanjing: Jiangsu jiaoyu chubanshe.Google Scholar
Zhao, Tingyang. 2006. “Rethinking empire from a Chinese concept ‘all-under-heaven’ (tian-xia, 天下).” Social Identities 12(1), 29–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, Yuliang, Zhao, Xiaochun and Chu, Shulong. 1987. “Guanyu jianli you Zhongguo tese de guoji guanxixue tixi: Shanghai guoji guanxi lilun taolunhui jiyao” (On building an IR theory system with Chinese characteristics: summary of the Shanghai seminar on theory of international relations). Xiandai guoji guanxi 4, 3–6.Google Scholar