1. China’s role in climate governance: an exploration of the ‘obstructor’ versus ‘leader’ narrative 2. Role theory and the conceptualisation of leadership 3. Towards COP15 and beyond (2002–2012): China’s difficulty to meet others’ expectations 4. Chinese NRCs under Hu‑Wen: the struggles of implementing a progressive role understanding 5. Towards COP21 and beyond (2012–2024): leadership recognition despite selective role performance 6. Chinese NRCs under Xi‑Li: the evolution of the domestic narration of China’s role 7. Conclusion: the power of perception and the under‑explored role of followers
Biography
Kim Vender has obtained her PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Edinburgh. She is an affiliated researcher at Ruhr University Bochum’s Centre for EU–Asia Connectivity (CEAC) and is interested in climate change policymaking, specialising in the international politics of climate change with a focus on developing countries.
In an era of major global challenges this book ‘China and Climate Leadership’ is a timely study of China’s approach to the global climate crisis. This book is a must read for those who wish to understand how China positions itself in global affairs and in climate governance in particular.
Dr. Niall Duggan, Senior Lecturer in Government and Politics, University College Cork
Vender’s work advances Chinese studies by linking elite discourse and domestic contestation (bureaucratic, local, public and academic) to international behaviour. It nuances simplistic labels of China as “global leader” or “reluctant follower,” showing how carefully crafted national role conceptions and their contestation shape the country’s international role. More broadly, Vender’s role-theoretical reconceptualization of leadership and her emphasis on followers’ agency contribute to debates on global leadership beyond conventional power-transition perspectives. The auxiliary-role framework also offers a transferable analytical tool for future studies of leadership in other areas, such as trade, public health and digital governance.
Yitong Ye, The China Quarterly
