Publications
Conference Report: Climate Change and Public Interest
On March 31st 2012 the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Research Center for Environmental Law (RIEL) at Wuhan University jointly organised a workshop on the role of civil society in climate and environmental policy. This report outlines the content of the presentations and discussions during the conference, describes its major findings and gives policy recommendations. more…
China’s Middle Class – A Driving Force for Democratic Change or Guarantors of the Status Quo?
The rise of the emerging countries has been accompanied by the creation of a middle class. There is the hope that these people will start to demand some form of political and social participation and so contribute to a democratisation of the predominantly authoritarian regimes in their respective countries. Is it right to assume that history will be repeated in the most densely populated country in the world, the People’s Republic of China? more…
Re-Inventing the City?
Domestic Migration and Urbanisation in the People's Republic of China
The People’s Republic of China can thank one main factor for the rapid economic growth it has experienced since Deng Xiaoping opened up the country’s economy around 30 years ago. This is the abundance of people of working age as a result of the population explosion which occurred between 1950 and 1980. This has guaranteed that both domestic and foreign companies have access to abundant cheap labour. Extreme imbalances in the development rates of the different regions mean that millions of workers have left the countryside to look for work in the huge conurbations of (mainly eastern) China. more…
Political Logic Frame of Administrative Hearing - A Perspective of Discourse Theory
The institution of public hearing originates from and is employed in jurisdiction as a necessary procedure. It is also used by legislation as a necessary means to hear and consider various opinions before passing a law. In the course of time and due to the demand of practice, it was employed in public administration as well and became a perfect institutional programme and model for government. Administrative hearing was introduced in China in the mid-1990s and is very often used in administrative license and punishment procedures, such as price regulations in control of the government. more…
The Situation of Christians in North East Asia and South East Asia
The situation of Christians in a specific country is closely connected to the way in which active and passive religious freedom is allowed. The freedom of religion in itself does not only express the degree of a guaranteed rule of law but also indicates the cultural tolerance within the country. However, another decisive factor for a religion to be acknowledged in society is the engagement of religious communities and the attitude of religious leaders. more…
