Contemporary China

Kerry Brown provides a wonderful guide to understanding modern China, presenting a remarkably comprehensive and lucid examination of the institutions and socio-economic forces that have shaped and are shaping the country today. Anyone wanting to understand China and its place in the world will do well with Brown as mentor. * Joseph Fewsmith, Boston University, USA *
A concise, approachable, critical but fair introduction to the most important topics and questions relating to an important and rising power. * Gregory Adam Scott, University of Manchester, UK *
A lucid and sophisticated introductory book on modern China written by a leading specialist in this field. * Joy Zhang, University of Kent, UK *
An excellent introductory text for any student interested in the rapidly-emerging ‘superpower’ that is today’s China, presented in a simple but effective narrative that highlights the country’s remarkable journey from a post-war pariah to a leading global player in the 21st century. * Harsh Bhasin, Stony Brook University, USA *
Contemporary China provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of China that should inform any teaching on China. It offers essential information on how China is governed which is necessary background information to understand how China is embedding and positioning itself in the world economy and global politics. Despite the breadth and depth of the book, it remains an accessible resource. * Hinrich Voss, University of Leeds, UK *
A comprehensive and timely introduction. A superb resource for students and scholars who are interested in the making of contemporary China. * Chun-Yi Lee, University of Nottingham, UK *
The book introduces all the complexity and contradictions of contemporary China and serves as an excellent introduction. It is up-to-date, comprehensive, concise, and highly readable. Providing an overview of China’s history, politics, economy, society, and culture the book is extremely well suited to those unfamiliar with the country. It also, usefully, serves as a guide for subsequent reading and study of the areas covered. * Daniel Hammond, University of Edinburgh, UK *
Kerry Brown’s account of Contemporary China is an outstanding, wide-ranging introduction to a country that is of crucial importance to the West. Ranging between history, institutional structures, and ideology, Brown shows clearly the elements that make up the China of today. A lucid and powerful read for all those who want to understand the next superpower. * Rana Mitter, University of Oxford, UK *
Both empathetic and critical, detailed and clear, Kerry Brown’s newly revised Contemporary China makes this complex and fascinating country accessible to those encountering it for the first time. It’s a great introductory text for undergraduate students – and it is also packed full of facts, data and analyses that will be of use to more advanced researchers. * Phil Entwistle, University College Dublin, Ireland *