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Building State-controlled Volunteering in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2023

Ming Hu ,
Qianjin Zhang  and
Mark Sidel
Ming Hu
Affiliation:
Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
Qianjin Zhang*
Affiliation:
Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China,
Mark Sidel
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA
*
Corresponding author: Qianjin Zhang; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The dominant role of the authoritarian state in Chinese volunteerism has been noted but little examined in the scholarly literature. This study illuminates the ways in which the Chinese state controls and administers volunteerism and volunteering through a detailed analysis of the governance of volunteering in Beijing. Drawing on participant observation, interviews and archival research, we analyse how Beijing administers volunteering and its structures through the work of its administrative authority for managing volunteering in regulation and public policy, management structure, resources, internal operations, monitoring and evaluation. We argue that Beijing has built a comprehensive apparatus to manage and control volunteering through a Party- and state-controlled, multi-layered and centralized management structure. However, this state corporatist structure carries within it the seeds for over-formal controls and conflicts between official, professional service providers and the increasing number of volunteers throughout Chinese society.

摘要

摘要

现有文献已经注意到威权型国家在中国志愿服务发展中的主导作用，但是尚未深入分析。本研究通过对中国首都北京的志愿服务治理的详细分析，阐明了国家控制和管理志愿服务的方式。通过参与式观察、访谈和档案研究，我们分析了北京的党组织和政府如何运用国家权力在法规和公共政策、管理结构、资源、内部运作以及监测和评估方面来管理志愿服务及其结构。我们认为，北京通过一个由党和国家控制的、多层次的、集中的管理结构，建立起了一个综合的志愿服务管理和控制体系。然而，这种国家法团主义的结构中孕育着过多控制的种子，以及官方和专业服务提供者与中国社会越来越多的志愿者之间的角色矛盾。

Keywords

civil societystate corporatismvolunteer managementvolunteering policy公民社会国家法团主义志愿者管理志愿服务政策
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 256 , December 2023 , pp. 854 - 870
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London

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