Blanket criticism does not help

By Gunter Schubert

Günter Schubert — Gunter Schubert is a professor at the Asia-Orient Institute of the Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen.

Social science research on China must reflect critically on its methodological work and the social context in which it is cast in China. But with the general accusation of no longer possessing any autonomous agency and bowing to Beijing, critics are harming science. They cater to widely prevalent fears among the public.

In two opinions published by China.Table in June, Nottingham-based political scientist Andreas Fulda and Bratislava-based sinologist Sascha Klotzbucher reiterated their long-standing demands for a new way of approaching China’s authoritarian regime, especially concerning Sino-German research and academic cooperation.

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