The State and ‘Religious Diversity’ in Chinese Dissertations

Abstract

Religious diversity in China has attracted considerable scholarly attention in both Anglophone and Sino-phone academia. Based on the quantitative and qualitative evidence in a representative sample of doctoral and master’s dissertations successfully defended in reputable Chinese academic institutions, this article identifies two characteristics associated with the usage of ‘religious diversity’ in contemporary Chinese scholarship. Firstly, ‘religious diversity’ is prominently applied to depict inter-religious rather than intra-religious relations. Secondly, ‘religious diversity’ is often discussed along with ethnic diversity. These patterns confirm, and further illustrate, a notable theme in the China-focused English scholarly works on religious diversity, namely, that the Chinese state plays a predominant role in the making and shaping of the country’s religious diversity. Moreover, the meaning, implication, and usage of the very concept of ‘religious diversity’ in contemporary Chinese scholarly discourse are also likely to have been directly influenced by the policies and rhetoric of the Chinese state.

Chinese Scholarship on Concurrent Analyses of Indonesia and Timor-Leste: Patterns, Themes, and Positioning

“…Scholarly efforts in this area are meaningful for two reasons. Firstly, existing literature has demonstrated that academic discourse in China reflects, to a large extent, the state's perspectives and is profoundly shaped by the state (Tao and Griffith, 2018;. Therefore, these efforts can help understand the intellectual foundations of China's foreign policy towards Southeast Asia.…”

Religious Diversity with Chinese Characteristics? Meanings and Implications of the Term ‘Religious Diversity’ in Contemporary Chinese Dissertations

“…Certain sections of this chapter are based onTao and Griffith (2018). But this chapter includes additional information and discussions that have not been previously published.…”