H. Christoph Steinhardt
@hcsteinhardt.bsky.social
Associate Prof @sinovienna, previously CUHK, NUS. Sinophone societies, protests, information, social trust, moral engineering, identities, governance. PI of @ERC_Research project ENGINEERING.
Pinned
Chasing a phantom: a re-evaluation of China’s “trust crisis”
A “trust crisis” has sparked public concern and driven state-led moral engineering in China. If China’s rapid development has indeed eroded social trust, it would challenge the optimistic theory of...
www.tandfonline.com
In this new study with Xue Gong and Jan Delhey, published in the Chinese Sociological Review, we re-evaluate the widely shared belief that China experienced a "trust crisis" – the rationale behind the “social credit system” – during its rapid modernization. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Ooops. 😁
Ukraine claims to hit 40 Russian bombers with drone attack
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg...
Ukraine drone attack hits more than 40 Russian bomber planes, claims Ukrainian security service
A major operation has been launched by Ukraine using drones to destroy Russian bomber planes, according to the Ukrainian security service.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 1, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Ooops. 😁
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
A brave and important protest that is underreported in international media.
Anti-Hamas protests in southern Gaza enter third day
Protesters were seen in videos calling for an end to the war and the removal of the armed group from Gaza
www.bbc.com
May 22, 2025 at 6:06 AM
A brave and important protest that is underreported in international media.
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
How do voters behave in democracies with unstable parties? In a newly published article in Party Politics, @pward89.bsky.social and I examine South Korea, a textbook case of an “ephemeral party system.” The article is Open Access.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
May 15, 2025 at 12:03 PM
How do voters behave in democracies with unstable parties? In a newly published article in Party Politics, @pward89.bsky.social and I examine South Korea, a textbook case of an “ephemeral party system.” The article is Open Access.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Interesting that Bluesky is certain that UK labor's right turn on immigration is doomed. A sharp right turn on immigration by Danish social democrats (yes, with a left turn on welfare) led them to pulverize the populist right. I do not know it will work, but the determinism in opinions is strange.
May 14, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Interesting that Bluesky is certain that UK labor's right turn on immigration is doomed. A sharp right turn on immigration by Danish social democrats (yes, with a left turn on welfare) led them to pulverize the populist right. I do not know it will work, but the determinism in opinions is strange.
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
(1/4) It was America and Britain that guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine and its borders in return for persuading them to give up their nuclear weapons.
April 25, 2025 at 7:28 AM
(1/4) It was America and Britain that guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine and its borders in return for persuading them to give up their nuclear weapons.
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
"Destroying America's Brand"
One way to think about this is to say that Trump is doing to America what Elon Musk is doing to Tesla, destroying a valuable brand through erratic behavior and repulsive ideology.
Paul Krugman
One way to think about this is to say that Trump is doing to America what Elon Musk is doing to Tesla, destroying a valuable brand through erratic behavior and repulsive ideology.
Paul Krugman
Destroying America's Brand
Losing the world's trust, and a lot of money too
open.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 11:06 AM
"Destroying America's Brand"
One way to think about this is to say that Trump is doing to America what Elon Musk is doing to Tesla, destroying a valuable brand through erratic behavior and repulsive ideology.
Paul Krugman
One way to think about this is to say that Trump is doing to America what Elon Musk is doing to Tesla, destroying a valuable brand through erratic behavior and repulsive ideology.
Paul Krugman
What do the useful idiots, also called Trump-fan Chinese pro-democracy dissidents, say by now actually?
March 1, 2025 at 11:10 AM
What do the useful idiots, also called Trump-fan Chinese pro-democracy dissidents, say by now actually?
The new sherrif in the US is voting with North Korea, Belarus and Russia in the UN. Welcome to the brave new world. news.sky.com/story/trump-...
Ukraine war latest: Putin 'would accept peacekeepers in Ukraine' as part of ceasefire deal, Trump says
Donald Trump is hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington, and has claimed Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers to be stationed in Ukraine. Elsewhere, the UN General Assembly ...
news.sky.com
February 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
The new sherrif in the US is voting with North Korea, Belarus and Russia in the UN. Welcome to the brave new world. news.sky.com/story/trump-...
The right-wing FPÖ wanted a German-requirement for university research in Austria during coalition negotiations. The next thing will probably be teaching in Austrian dialect.
www.ots.at/presseaussen...
www.ots.at/presseaussen...
Bildung und Wissenschaft unter Beschuss: Blau-Schwarz plant Studiengebühren-Erhöhung und Sprachvorschriften
Wien (OTS) - Studieren soll wieder zum Privileg werden - wenn es nach FPÖ und ÖVP geht. Die beiden Parteien verhandeln erneut über eine Erhöhung der Studiengebühren. Bereits 2000, unter Schwarz-Blau I...
www.ots.at
February 2, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The right-wing FPÖ wanted a German-requirement for university research in Austria during coalition negotiations. The next thing will probably be teaching in Austrian dialect.
www.ots.at/presseaussen...
www.ots.at/presseaussen...
I wonder what incentivizes left-center governments, such as Vienna's, to promote gender neutral language. Public opinion is leaning heavily against it. Granted, Vienna's population is likely more accepting. But I still doubt this wins more voters than it is driving voters away.
January 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
I wonder what incentivizes left-center governments, such as Vienna's, to promote gender neutral language. Public opinion is leaning heavily against it. Granted, Vienna's population is likely more accepting. But I still doubt this wins more voters than it is driving voters away.
Author affiliations in a random sample of publications in 3 top China Studies journals.
The dominance of Anglo-US scholars is remarkable. A whopping 48% of knowledge on China published in these journals was produced in the US, UK, AUS and CAN. Only 33% was produced in Mainland China or Hong Kong.
The dominance of Anglo-US scholars is remarkable. A whopping 48% of knowledge on China published in these journals was produced in the US, UK, AUS and CAN. Only 33% was produced in Mainland China or Hong Kong.
January 13, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Author affiliations in a random sample of publications in 3 top China Studies journals.
The dominance of Anglo-US scholars is remarkable. A whopping 48% of knowledge on China published in these journals was produced in the US, UK, AUS and CAN. Only 33% was produced in Mainland China or Hong Kong.
The dominance of Anglo-US scholars is remarkable. A whopping 48% of knowledge on China published in these journals was produced in the US, UK, AUS and CAN. Only 33% was produced in Mainland China or Hong Kong.
European societies, Germany in particular, had 8 years to rethink their dillusional assumptions about the nature of the international system and the value of hard power. Now the hand wringing and panicking starts again...
January 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
European societies, Germany in particular, had 8 years to rethink their dillusional assumptions about the nature of the international system and the value of hard power. Now the hand wringing and panicking starts again...
Interesting initiative to highlight and critique the severe under representation of the Global South in German-speaking television news. weisses-rauschen.de/hero/202409P...
January 3, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Interesting initiative to highlight and critique the severe under representation of the Global South in German-speaking television news. weisses-rauschen.de/hero/202409P...
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
Merry Christmas from the Hong Kong government:
More bounties. What it only says is Hong Kong officials are desperate to prove to Beijing that they are CCP’s good henchmen and are working around the clock and around the world to pursue those dare to speak ill of the CCP. hongkongfp.com/2024/12/24/b...
Hong Kong national security police issue HK$1 million bounties for 6 ‘fugitives’
Hong Kong national security police have issued a fresh round of arrest warrants for six people living overseas, including self-exiled activists, a former pollster and an ex-actor. A reward of HK$1 …
hongkongfp.com
December 24, 2024 at 12:49 PM
Merry Christmas from the Hong Kong government:
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
Many great #Chinawatchers have joined BlueSky recently.
So I’ve updated this large #starterpack with experts and journalists writing about #China ‘s #foreignpolicy, #economy, and #politics.
Join, share, and follow!
go.bsky.app/NZzqdpY
So I’ve updated this large #starterpack with experts and journalists writing about #China ‘s #foreignpolicy, #economy, and #politics.
Join, share, and follow!
go.bsky.app/NZzqdpY
December 15, 2024 at 12:17 AM
Many great #Chinawatchers have joined BlueSky recently.
So I’ve updated this large #starterpack with experts and journalists writing about #China ‘s #foreignpolicy, #economy, and #politics.
Join, share, and follow!
go.bsky.app/NZzqdpY
So I’ve updated this large #starterpack with experts and journalists writing about #China ‘s #foreignpolicy, #economy, and #politics.
Join, share, and follow!
go.bsky.app/NZzqdpY
South Korea may have been closer to military rule than it initially appeared. 👇
The South Korean mediascape is quite overwhelming right now, but it shows a democracy in crisis after the martial law decree. Reports reveal that the Yoon administration was serious about thwarting democracy and establishing military rule. The fallout is severe, but the next steps are unclear.
December 12, 2024 at 8:27 AM
South Korea may have been closer to military rule than it initially appeared. 👇
Good to know. In research that hopefully will see the light of the day soonish, I try to make the point that one key argument for surveillance in China has been that "society needs to be protected from itself."
Very interesting! These “urban, complex environments” were also cited as the reason for introducing things like grid-style social management. Though I cannot remember reading about a lack of trust as a rationale for such grassroots innovations. Might be related still.
December 10, 2024 at 10:25 PM
Good to know. In research that hopefully will see the light of the day soonish, I try to make the point that one key argument for surveillance in China has been that "society needs to be protected from itself."
Right, Junius "fraternizing with triad hooligans" Ho.
I’m pretty sure gay people have existed in Asia long before contact with the West
December 10, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Right, Junius "fraternizing with triad hooligans" Ho.
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
1/4
Either the consensus has become nearly unanimous, or the media are freezing out alternative views, but what some of us were arguing over a decade ago seems to have taken a firm hold of much of the economic reform discussion.
www.yicaiglobal.com/news/china-n...
Either the consensus has become nearly unanimous, or the media are freezing out alternative views, but what some of us were arguing over a decade ago seems to have taken a firm hold of much of the economic reform discussion.
www.yicaiglobal.com/news/china-n...
China Needs Consumer-Focused Policies to Boost Demand, Think Tank's Head Says
www.yicaiglobal.com
December 10, 2024 at 4:20 AM
1/4
Either the consensus has become nearly unanimous, or the media are freezing out alternative views, but what some of us were arguing over a decade ago seems to have taken a firm hold of much of the economic reform discussion.
www.yicaiglobal.com/news/china-n...
Either the consensus has become nearly unanimous, or the media are freezing out alternative views, but what some of us were arguing over a decade ago seems to have taken a firm hold of much of the economic reform discussion.
www.yicaiglobal.com/news/china-n...
Some structural background behind the South Korea martial law event. 👇
Indeed. The so-called "Lee Jae-myung bulletproofing" [이재명 방탄] perspective was in circulation before events unfolded on Dec. 3. It reflects the country's deep polarization, where obstructionism can override governance, fueling ideological divides and entrenchment.
www.chosun.com/politics/202...
www.chosun.com/politics/202...
December 4, 2024 at 11:24 AM
Some structural background behind the South Korea martial law event. 👇
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in South Korea, citing alleged anti-state activities by opposition forces. This extremely surprising move grants the military authority over civilian affairs. Why did this happen? Some context and thoughts are below.
apnews.com/article/sout...
apnews.com/article/sout...
South Korean president declares emergency martial law, accusing opposition of anti-state activities
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared an “emergency martial law," accusing the country's opposition of controlling the parliament and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities.
apnews.com
December 3, 2024 at 3:18 PM
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law in South Korea, citing alleged anti-state activities by opposition forces. This extremely surprising move grants the military authority over civilian affairs. Why did this happen? Some context and thoughts are below.
apnews.com/article/sout...
apnews.com/article/sout...
In this new study with Xue Gong and Jan Delhey, published in the Chinese Sociological Review, we re-evaluate the widely shared belief that China experienced a "trust crisis" – the rationale behind the “social credit system” – during its rapid modernization. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Chasing a phantom: a re-evaluation of China’s “trust crisis”
A “trust crisis” has sparked public concern and driven state-led moral engineering in China. If China’s rapid development has indeed eroded social trust, it would challenge the optimistic theory of...
www.tandfonline.com
December 3, 2024 at 7:52 AM
In this new study with Xue Gong and Jan Delhey, published in the Chinese Sociological Review, we re-evaluate the widely shared belief that China experienced a "trust crisis" – the rationale behind the “social credit system” – during its rapid modernization. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by H. Christoph Steinhardt
Last year, @profgustafsson.bsky.social and I published this article on how to deal with the insecurity of doing research. It is now assigned to an issue of European Political Science. It’s Open Access, so please feel free to download a copy or recommend to students! link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The insecurity of doing research and the ‘so what question’ in political science: how to develop more compelling research problems by facing anxiety - European Political Science
Research problems are crucial in the sense that they provide new research with purpose and justification. So why, despite the abundance of guidance available from an extensive methods literature, do g...
link.springer.com
November 30, 2024 at 8:50 AM
Last year, @profgustafsson.bsky.social and I published this article on how to deal with the insecurity of doing research. It is now assigned to an issue of European Political Science. It’s Open Access, so please feel free to download a copy or recommend to students! link.springer.com/article/10.1...
In this new study published in The China Quarterly, YANG Kai and I show that value-driven protests in China (advocating non-materialist and public interest claims at odds with the regime) are less rare and less often repressed than previously assumed www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Value-driven Contention in China: Forms, Tactics and State Responses | The China Quarterly | Cambridge Core
Value-driven Contention in China: Forms, Tactics and State Responses
www.cambridge.org
November 29, 2024 at 4:51 PM
In this new study published in The China Quarterly, YANG Kai and I show that value-driven protests in China (advocating non-materialist and public interest claims at odds with the regime) are less rare and less often repressed than previously assumed www.cambridge.org/core/journal...