Confucianism in Contemporary China: Daniel A Bell and Wang Pei  

Asialink is delighted to invite you to hear from two preeminemnt political theorists working on contemporary China. Professor Daniel A. Bell and Assistant Professor Wang Pei will each provide insight into Confucianism and how it shapes China today.  

On the Confucian Communist Comeback in Contemporary China 

Few Chinese intellectuals and political reformers turned to Confucianism and Communism for political inspiration at the end of the twentieth century. But both traditions have mounted remarkable comebacks in mainland China. What explains the return of Confucianism and Communism? And what are the implications for Chinese academia and the political system? Drawing on his recent book The Dean of Shandong (Princeton, 2023) -- "an inside view of Chinese academia and what it reveals about China's political system" -- Daniel A. Bell will attempt to answer these questions. 

“Leftover Women” and the Dilemmas of Filiality: A Confucian Role Ethics Perspective 

Leftover women, (剩女 shengnü) unmarried daughters of the single child generation in China, face unique social challenges. They often experience profound guilt and role conflict due to parental expectations shaped by preference for a son and the legacy of the one-child policy. Applying a Confucian role ethics lens, Weng Pei will propose a new Confucian framework for healthier intergenerational relationships, advocating for role clarity, the rejection of misplaced obligations, and the importance of setting boundaries to preserve familial harmony.  

Following the formal presentations, Colin Heseltine will moderate a Q&A session.