 |
| © Trey Ratcliff / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 |
Up until a short while ago, China studies were still viewed as belonging to the so-called 'orchid subjects' inside the German university system.
You are wondering about the meaning?
Well, this fairly odd term denotes an extremely peculiar, even extravagant field of study that is somehow nice to indulge in but not really essential. Over the years, even institutes with excellent international reputation and a very long tradition in Chinese studies had to fight hard to secure adequate funding.
And what about research centres outside the traditional halls of academe?
Not so much to boast of either as only a handful of institutions exist that have integrated studies on China into their normally much wider research profiles.
You are wondering about the meaning?
Well, this fairly odd term denotes an extremely peculiar, even extravagant field of study that is somehow nice to indulge in but not really essential. Over the years, even institutes with excellent international reputation and a very long tradition in Chinese studies had to fight hard to secure adequate funding.
And what about research centres outside the traditional halls of academe?
Not so much to boast of either as only a handful of institutions exist that have integrated studies on China into their normally much wider research profiles.
One of the most prolific and renowned is the Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien (German Institute of Global and Area Studies) (GIGA) based in the northern city of Hamburg.
Currently, the GIGA has roughly 160 employees, including 90 academics. The latter, under the aegis of the GIGA, pursue their studies at four regional institutes (Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East); research results are regularly published in GIGA's own publication series.
The Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) is staffed with scholars specializing in a variety of countries, China being just one of them. Those working on China-related issues have backgrounds in different academic disciplines and carry out research on a wide range of subjects. The internationally refereed periodical 'Journal of Current Chinese Affairs' is their major publication organ; the latest issue is titled 'The Chinese Presence in Africa: A Learning Process'.
Currently, the GIGA has roughly 160 employees, including 90 academics. The latter, under the aegis of the GIGA, pursue their studies at four regional institutes (Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East); research results are regularly published in GIGA's own publication series.
The Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) is staffed with scholars specializing in a variety of countries, China being just one of them. Those working on China-related issues have backgrounds in different academic disciplines and carry out research on a wide range of subjects. The internationally refereed periodical 'Journal of Current Chinese Affairs' is their major publication organ; the latest issue is titled 'The Chinese Presence in Africa: A Learning Process'.
Then there are research outfits with a much narrower approach.
The primary focus of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) (German Institute for International and Security Affairs), for example, is on foreign policy issues. Berlin-based SWP advises the Bundestag (the German parliament) and the German Federal Government, but also offers its expertise to the business world and the general public. Presently, SWP covers a wide scope of analysis ranging from security policy topics to aspects of climate protection and the political challenges associated with the shortage of natural resources.
In total, the institute boasts of eight research divisions employing more than 60 scholars. The Research Division Asia explores the connection between local transformation processes, foreign and security policy and their global repercussions. In this division, three of the academics concentrate on China (China-specific papers can be found here).
The primary focus of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) (German Institute for International and Security Affairs), for example, is on foreign policy issues. Berlin-based SWP advises the Bundestag (the German parliament) and the German Federal Government, but also offers its expertise to the business world and the general public. Presently, SWP covers a wide scope of analysis ranging from security policy topics to aspects of climate protection and the political challenges associated with the shortage of natural resources.
In total, the institute boasts of eight research divisions employing more than 60 scholars. The Research Division Asia explores the connection between local transformation processes, foreign and security policy and their global repercussions. In this division, three of the academics concentrate on China (China-specific papers can be found here).
Another venerable institution is Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP) (German Council on Foreign Relations), the German network for foreign policy, also based in Berlin.
The council's think tank pursues 'policy-oriented research at the intersection of operational politics, business, scholarship, and the media'. Around 30 foreign policy experts work in ten research programmes addressing transatlantic relations, European integration, Russia / Eurasia, international security policy, energy policy, global economics, the Middle East and China.
The small China programme, headed by Eberhard Sandschneider, explores the country's ascent and the consequences for German foreign policy, European-Chinese relations and the transatlantic relationship. It also examines leadership changes and the ramifications for domestic and international political stability (articles on China in the English-language online edition of the institution's 'IP Journal' are pretty sparse).
The council's think tank pursues 'policy-oriented research at the intersection of operational politics, business, scholarship, and the media'. Around 30 foreign policy experts work in ten research programmes addressing transatlantic relations, European integration, Russia / Eurasia, international security policy, energy policy, global economics, the Middle East and China.
The small China programme, headed by Eberhard Sandschneider, explores the country's ascent and the consequences for German foreign policy, European-Chinese relations and the transatlantic relationship. It also examines leadership changes and the ramifications for domestic and international political stability (articles on China in the English-language online edition of the institution's 'IP Journal' are pretty sparse).
In addition to these age-old and rather stately research organizations, there is a new kid on the think tank block. This newcomer is particularly noteworthy as its research is devoted entirely to contemporary China.
Large and affluent private Mercator Foundation is the generous donor for the recently established Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in central Berlin. It employs 30 China experts, making it one of the biggest research institutes in Europe.
The centre covers a much broader spectrum of topics than its rivals above, but also explicitly aims at policy advice. On its very sleek web site, seven central fields of study are presented in depth: policy making, foreign policy and economic relations, economic policy and financial system, innovation capacity and cooperation, social change and social security, digital China and, last but not least, environmental technology and urban sustainability.
Large and affluent private Mercator Foundation is the generous donor for the recently established Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in central Berlin. It employs 30 China experts, making it one of the biggest research institutes in Europe.
The centre covers a much broader spectrum of topics than its rivals above, but also explicitly aims at policy advice. On its very sleek web site, seven central fields of study are presented in depth: policy making, foreign policy and economic relations, economic policy and financial system, innovation capacity and cooperation, social change and social security, digital China and, last but not least, environmental technology and urban sustainability.
The team at MERICS routinely publishes weekly updates on important news (in German only) as well as more comprehensive analyses, dossiers, individual comments and graphics.
There is a marked effort to cater to non-specialist audiences (which is not a bad thing, after all). Interestingly enough, there have already been warnings that the newcomer may soon become a monopolist in shaping public and political opinion in Germany.
Commentators have also voiced concerns that the research profile of MERICS is too vague or that historical perspectives are completely missing (for a recent article in German, look here).
It remains to be seen if the highly ambitious new institute will be able to achieve the cherished status of big player in the small China watcher scene eventually.
There is a marked effort to cater to non-specialist audiences (which is not a bad thing, after all). Interestingly enough, there have already been warnings that the newcomer may soon become a monopolist in shaping public and political opinion in Germany.
Commentators have also voiced concerns that the research profile of MERICS is too vague or that historical perspectives are completely missing (for a recent article in German, look here).
It remains to be seen if the highly ambitious new institute will be able to achieve the cherished status of big player in the small China watcher scene eventually.
Admittedly, this short list is anything but exhaustive as there are a lot more of smaller initiatives, most of them private endeavours, that are engaged in some kind of China watching. Due to extremely scarce resources, very few of them are actually able to do original research. Foundations of political parties, too, commission small-scale studies on Chinese developments from time to time. But that's about it.
As you may have noticed reading this, China watching is not exactly high on the German agenda.
Often subsumed under the incredibly wide (and quite meaningless) rubric of 'Asia studies', Chinese studies remain positioned on the margins.
The rather sorry state of German China expertise might pose considerable challenges in the near future, because one thing should be perfectly clear by now: trying to understand China can no longer be considered a somewhat exotic undertaking reserved for a few select specialists in academic ivory towers.
Professional China watching constitutes an immensely important field of study deserving much more attention and way more resources than chronically underfunded universities or sponsors of existing research centres provide.
Often subsumed under the incredibly wide (and quite meaningless) rubric of 'Asia studies', Chinese studies remain positioned on the margins.
The rather sorry state of German China expertise might pose considerable challenges in the near future, because one thing should be perfectly clear by now: trying to understand China can no longer be considered a somewhat exotic undertaking reserved for a few select specialists in academic ivory towers.
Professional China watching constitutes an immensely important field of study deserving much more attention and way more resources than chronically underfunded universities or sponsors of existing research centres provide.
No comments:
Post a Comment