Understanding Chinese Nationalism: Historical Memory in Chinese Politics and Foreign Relations

Dr. Zheng Wang will present his new book Never Forget National Humiliation: Historical Memory in Chinese Politics and Foreign Relations (Columbia University Press, 2012).

How did the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) not only survive but also regain the support of many Chinese citizens after the Tiananmen Square crackdown of 1989? Why has popular domestic sentiment turned toward anti-Western nationalism despite the anti-dictatorship democratic movements of the 1980s? Why is there a higher possibility that the new Beijing leadership will adopt a more nationalistic foreign policy in response to domestic nationalism in spite of China benefiting most from globalization? Offering an explanation for these unexpected trends, Dr. Zheng Wang will present his new book Never Forget National Humiliation: Historical Memory in Chinese Politics and Foreign Relations (Columbia University Press, 2012). This book tracks how the legitimacy-challenged CCP has used history and ideological education as instruments to glorify the party, reestablish its legitimacy, consolidate national identity, and justify one-party rule in the post-Tiananmen and post-Cold War era.

Event Speakers
Zheng Wang: Public Policy Scholar, Associate Professor, John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University

J. Stapleton Roy: Director, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States