Chapter 1: How to Use This Book – A Student’s Guide Chapter 2 How to Use This Book – An Instructor’s Guide Chapter 3: Power and Governance Chapter 4: Institutions and Adaptation Chapter 5: Participation and Control Chapter 6: Policy and Performance Chapter 7: Security Governance Chapter 8: Identity and Belonging Chapter 9: Media and Communication Chapter 10: China and the Global Order Chapter 11 Crisis and Resilience
Biography
Chi Zhang is an Assistant Professor in Politics and International Studies (East Asia) at the University of Warwick. Her research focuses on security governance, digital activism, and state-society relations in China, with particular attention to nationalism, gender, and authoritarian resilience. She has published in International Feminist Journal of Politics and Journal of Contemporary China.
'It is more vitally important than ever to understand Chinese politics, yet there are too few books that allow western readers to interpret this complex and unfamiliar system. Chi Zhang’s textbook is a brilliant solution to that problem – intellectual clarity, excellent detail, and up to date assessments of factors such as AI. This is a powerful introduction to a crucial topic.'
- Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations, Harvard Kennedy School, USA
'This is a rare textbook which is both analytically sharp and classroom-tested. Moving beyond the analytical shortcuts provided by reductive labels, this textbook makes contemporary China intelligible without oversimplifying it. Chi Zhang blends rigorous political analysis with innovative pedagogy grounded in clear explanations, translation-literacy cards, comparative tables, and engaging simulations. The textbook’s AI-check exercises and instructor guidance help teachers build confidence while strengthening the critical thinking and digital literacy skills of students. This textbook provides the essential toolkit for understanding China in our algorithmic age.'
- Emilian Kavalski, Professor of International Relations at Tampere University, Finland
