Flexible Governance in China

Hu, Jieren; Wu, Tong; Fei, Jingyan

doi:10.1525/as.2018.58.4.679

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…A series of projects derived from the social workstation has long gone beyond the fixed office space, especially many projects that need to go deep into the community, beyond street government officials' control. Social workers have enormous information advantages in the community space and can promote the implementation of projects according to their own will (Hu et al, 2018). Under unreasonable orders from government officials, social workers can achieve autonomy by ostensibly obeying and secretly deliberately sabotaging these orders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the anchor point of this debate seems to ignore the micro-production mechanism of professional roles of social workers from the sociological field and even less the discussion of dynamic strategies in the interaction between social workers and the government. After all, the role of social workers is not black or white, and their weak temperament seems to be well integrated with the needs of the government, displaying their professionalism in many fields (Hu et al, 2018; Tian and Tsai, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Between autonomy and subordination: The micro-production mechanism of professional roles in a Chinese street social workstation

Zhang

2023

International Sociology

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Based on the dilemma social workers face at the grassroots level in a street social workstation, this article discusses the micro-production mechanism of their professional role in China. Along with the life cycle of the social workstation, three different sets of camouflage schemes have been formed, namely, isomorphism, polymorphism, and heterogeneous isomorphism, to avoid identity crises and continue the survival logic. This study argues that the social workstation can not only be viewed as outsourcing of government social functions but rather bring the possibility of using social work methods as national governance techniques. The camouflage practice of social workers is an important manifestation of the penetration of national governance into society through the flexibility of social organizations. This new form of social work professional practice means that social workers have gradually evolved into stewards of government management, posing challenges to their professional roles and leading to more complex individual actions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Between autonomy and subordination: The micro-production mechanism of professional roles in a Chinese street social workstation

Zhang

2023

International Sociology

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“…For a cross-section of this literature, see Gao and Tyson 2017;Yuen 2018;Zhou 2018. 9 On social workers, see Hu, Wu and Fei 2018. On friends and family, see Deng andO'Brien 2013.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

State-adjacent Professionals: How Chinese Lawyers Participate in Political Life

Liu¹,

Stern²

2020

The China Quarterly

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This article complicates the conventional wisdom that Chinese lawyers are either politically liberal activists or apolitical hired guns by training our attention on the group of lawyers who choose to stand adjacent to the state and participate in governance. Through an examination of how and why winners of the state-sanctioned Outstanding Lawyer Award participate in politics, we illustrate how state-adjacent lawyers provide the state with information and persuade others to behave in ways the state considers appropriate. Although proximity to power affords some social and professional benefits, award winners are also motivated by a commitment to improving Chinese society. By highlighting the political role played by lawyers who serve as a bridge between state and society, we open the door to future research on the relationship between the state and professionals in other industries and countries, and call for continued attention to how inequality shapes opportunities for political participation in China.

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“…Scholars have noted that social workers are not only required to provide emotional and psychological reports to local residents but also are expected to relieve citizens' anger against local governors and facilitate citizen-government dialogue. 31 At BP's mayor's hotline, a special section named the 'instability group' has been established to address any potential risk against social stability. Any call with threatening content will be transferred to this group.…”

Section: Emotion Channellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Outsourcing authoritarian governance: The privatization of mayors’ hotlines in China

Hou

2023

China Information

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How does privatization impact authoritarian governance on the frontline? This article examines the impact of outsourcing on the labour process involved in the operation of mayors’ hotlines. The mayor’s hotline system is a channel set up by Chinese municipal governments to address residents’ suggestions, appeals, inquiries, and complaints. While the expansion of mayors’ hotlines falls under the government in China, the operation of call centres has been outsourced to professional tele-corporations; thus, it is for-profit companies and their employees that represent the state in communications with the public. By examining both the practical and relational components of call operators’ labour process, this article looks at how an institution of responsive authoritarianism has been contracted out in China. It argues that the outsourcing creates a dual-pressure structure that shapes the frontline governance of this institution. The engagement of privatization in authoritarian domination leads to a conflict between market rationality and the inherited tradition of state intervention.

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Flexible Governance in China

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

Between autonomy and subordination: The micro-production mechanism of professional roles in a Chinese street social workstation

Between autonomy and subordination: The micro-production mechanism of professional roles in a Chinese street social workstation

State-adjacent Professionals: How Chinese Lawyers Participate in Political Life

Outsourcing authoritarian governance: The privatization of mayors’ hotlines in China

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