Social mobilization in a changing China: A critical review of the literature

Social mobilization has long been considered a major characteristic of Chinese life and, more recently, a key aspect of China’s state capacity. The existing literature on social mobilization in the country, however, is characterized by studies of pre-1978 China, many of which are scattered and fragmentary. This problem has not only resulted in misjudging the vital role of social mobilization as a process of change and an analytical construct, but has also overlooked the work of other researchers, especially those in China, studying a wide range of aspects of socio-economic and socio-political activities in present-day China. As a result, the research literature has not kept pace with the profound changes occurring in the country, providing no adequate theoretical foundation and capability for analyzing and theorizing the dynamics at work in contemporary China. This analytical article seeks to critically review the current state of knowledge relating to social mobilization in China and the main theoretical problems in the literature, paying special attention to the missing links between different perspectives.