China: The pessoptimist nation

Publication Type

Book

Publication Date

11-2009

Abstract

China: The Pessoptimist Nation examines how Chinese identity and foreign policy are shaped by a dynamic interplay of optimism and pessimism—coined “pessoptimism”—within China’s domestic politics and international relations. Drawing on Chinese sources and innovative analysis, William A. Callahan argues that the central challenge in understanding China’s rise is not primarily a security dilemma but an identity dilemma. Instead of focusing solely on economic and military metrics, the book explores questions such as “When, where, and who is China?”, showing how national narratives of civilisation and national humiliation shape patriotic education, propaganda, collective memory, and national identity. This pessoptimist dynamic intertwines domestic insecurities with China’s foreign policy, offering a nuanced view of how official policies and popular culture interact to produce China’s global posture.

Keywords

Chinese nationalism, identity politics, foreign policy, pessoptimism, national humiliation, propaganda, patriotic education, soft power, China’s rise

Discipline

Political Science

Research Areas

Political Science

ISBN

978-0199549955

Identifier

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549955.001.0001

Publisher

Oxford University Press

City or Country

Oxford

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199549955.001.0001

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS