1. Introduction Political Science and Chinese Political Studies: The State of the Field (Sujian Guo, San Francisco State University) -- Part I  Overview of the State of the Field -- 2. Chinese Political Studies: Overview of the State of the Field (Lynn T. White III., Princeton University) -- 3. Political Culture and the Study of Chinese Politics (Peter R. Moody, Jr., University of Notre Dame) -- 4. Western Political Science Theories and the Development of Political Theories in China (Yang Guangbin and Li Miao, Remin University of China) -- 5. Western Political Research Approaches and the Development of Political Science Methodology in China (Jing Yuejin and Wang Guoqin, Tsinghua University) -- 6. Environmental Politics in China: An Issue Area in Review (Fengshi Wu, Chinese University of Hong Kong) -- Part II  Methodologies in the Chinese Political Studies -- 7. The Logic of Comparative Politics and the Development of Political Science in China (Zhong Yang, University of Tennessee) -- 8. Political Science Research on China: Making the Most of Diversity (Björn Alpermann, Universität Würzburg) -- 9. Choices for Chinese Political Science: Methodological Positivism or Methodological Pluralism? (Jon R. Taylor, University of St. Thomas) -- 10. The Perestroika Movement in American Political Science and its Lessons for Chinese Political Studies (Shelley Rigger, Davidson College) -- Part III  Scientification or Indigenization of Chinese Political Studies.-11. Reflections on Scientific Inquiry, Academic Freedom, and Enlightenment (Jeffrey C. Isaac, Indiana University) -- 12. The Dilemmas of China’s Political Science in the context of the Rise of China (Baogang He, Deakin University) -- 13. Politics Against Science: Reflections on the Study of Chinese Politics in Contemporary China (Guoguang Wu, University of Victoria) -- 14. To “Fall in Line” or To “Grab”:  Thoughts on the Indigenization of Political Science (Shaoguang Wang, Chinese University of Hong Kong) -- 15. Let One Hundred Flowers Bloom, Let One Hundred Thoughts Contend: Political Science with Chinese Characteristics (Jon R. Taylor, University of St. Thomas).

This book represents a pioneering effort to offer an up-to-date overview of the state of the field of “Chinese political studies.” It assesses the field’s past, present, and future, emphasizing the role of Chinese scholars in transforming it both from within and outside of China. In the process, this book discusses the most hotly-debated problems, challenges, opportunities, achievements, and directions in terms of its disciplinary and intellectual developments. The book focuses on the epistemologically-oriented debate, i.e., the serious tensions between scientific, universalistic, positivist traditions on the one hand and particularistic, historical and contextual traditions in the study of Chinese politics on the other. The book also deals with the ontologically-oriented debate between scientific knowledge and local knowledge, i.e., between scientification/westernization (ke xue hua/xi fang hua) and indigenization (ben tu hua) of Chinese political studies, and thus their influences on the study of Chinese politics.