Citizenship with Chinese characteristics? An investigation into Chinese university students’ civic perceptions and civic participation

Abstract

Citizenship is a complex and multidimensional concept. There has been a tendency to compare traditions of citizenship in the West with those in the East, captured by a stereotype that depicts the West as individualistic and the East as collectivist. The purpose of this study is to investigate what kind of citizenship is exhibited by Chinese university students, including both their civic perception and their civic participation. Using a recently developed distinction between thin and thick citizenship, the findings from both quantitative and qualitative data analysed in this study reveal that Chinese university students tend towards thin citizenship, as they demonstrate positive civic attitudes yet lack strong evidence of participatory citizenship. The paper also discusses the impact of Confucian and other Chinese traditional value systems on typical views of citizenship held by Chinese students, and offers the suggestion that the citizenship education curriculum should incorporate experiential learning.

Examining the role of ideological and political education on university students’ civic perceptions and civic participation in Mainland China: Some hints from contemporary citizenship theory

“…Compared with the supreme status of the ideological and political education as well as emphasized patriotism education described in former sections, it thus indicated the primary aims of this curriculum were crucially challenged. This finding is inconsistent with previous research that an overwhelming majority of students (92.4%) expressed their loyalty towards the nation in Tu’s (2011) study. Therefore, specific explanation for this situation needs to be explored further.…”

Development and reliability of a scale of physical-activity related informal social control for parents of Chinese pre-schoolers

“…Confucianism cherishes obedience and adaptation to one’s role in a hierarchy rather than actions aimed to change policies and structures mandated by rulers at the higher levels of the hierarchy. Although Chinese societies have made considerable progress towards democracy and greater civic participation, traditional Confucians values remain to a certain extent embedded in approach to life and choices of action [[ 44 ],[ 45 ]].…”

The discrepancy of meaning of citizenship between the state and society in China: Implications for citizenship education and policymaking

“…Although some groups are found to have stronger demand for political participation than others, Xia's (2011) study revealed that comparing with salient rights consciousness, there seems to be political apathy among citizens in general. Similarly, a recent study on university students' civic perceptions and civic participation conducted by Tu (2011) suggested that although university students generally have positive civic attitudes, they tend to act passively. Indeed, neither the demand for the right to political participation nor the adoption of positive civic attitudes guarantees citizens' active participation.…”

“…In the report to the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), delivered by then-CCP General Secretary Hu Jintao in 2007, the need to "step up education about citizenship" (jiaqiang gongmin yishi jiaoyu) was stated . This was the first time ever that citizenship education was upheld in an official document at such a high level (Tu, 2011). Given the fact that the CCP is "the real policy maker" in China (Chan et al, 2008: 45), the statement is expected to stimulate policy and practice of citizenship education thereafter.…”