Chinese and Foreign Political Systems

Chinese and foreign political systems discipline of CCNU is the first one of this field in China and the only National Key Discipline which stood the state evaluation. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, under the leadership of Prof. Gao Yuan, Zhang Anhou and Xu Yumiao, its faculty persisted in academic research. In 1985, CCNU obtained the right to grant MA degree of political science theories and it began to enroll MA candidates under this program.

In 1997, as one of the research directions (Chinese and foreign political system and grassroots regime), this discipline once was involved in “scientific socialism” subject which was approved by Ministry of Education “211 plan” as key subjects. In 1998, this discipline was chosen by Key Discipline Construction Project of CCNU. In 2000, on the basis of its direction “political development and political system”, “Research Center of Chinese Rural Issues” was established and it was cited as Humanities and Social Sciences Key Research Base by Ministry of Education. In 2000, it declared for PhD program of Chinese and foreign political systems and it ranked first in the communications review.

After the acquirement of PhD and Master programs of the first-level politics subject, Chinese and Foreign political systems became one of the first batch to gain its PhD program. In 2001, it began to enroll MA and PhD candidates independently. In 2003, it was cited as the provincial key discipline. In 2004, it began to accept post doctorates. In the same year, the first-level subject politics mainly based on this discipline ranked the second place in National First-level Subject Assessment of Ministry of Education Authorities. In 2007, it was selected as the first and the only National Key Discipline in this field in China.

This discipline has clear research direction and distinctive features. With its well- structured faculty, it has achieved outstanding accomplishments in scientific research and talent cultivation, it has three major directions: political construction and democracy at the grassroots level, local governance and rural issue, institution comparison and government management. (1) Democracy at the grassroots level: its advantages and features are of two aspects. On one hand, concerning the reality of China’s modernization, political construction theories with Chinese characteristics are powerfully put forward. On the other hand, democracy theory and Chinese reality are combined and grassroots democracy theory with Chinese characteristics are invented on the basis of social investigation. (2) Local governance and rural issue: this direction focuses on study on Chinese local grassroots political regime and “agriculture, rural areas and farmers” issues based on the combination of theory and reality through a great amount of empirical investigation. Its unique feature lies in its emphasis on study of villagers’ autonomy and rural governance to benefit the research on “agriculture, rural areas and farmers” issues. (3) Institution comparison and government management: it’s unique in four aspects. First, it attaches importance to the comparative study of Chinese political institution and that of other countries.

Second, it emphasizes the research on contemporary Chinese government and politics. Third, it pays close attention to study on constitutional system. Fourth, it values the study on comparative study method and its application.

After years of development and construction, the strength of its academic team is further increased. With young and middle-aged scholars as its main body, it has reasonable orderly system of succession. There are 16 faculty members and among them 12 are professors, 4 are associate professors, 10 are PhD supervisors and 15 have gotten their PhD degree. One of them is the member of State Council Degree Committee Subject Evaluation Group, one is selected member of the Ministry of Education Social Science Council, one is awarded as specially invited professor of Ministry of Education "Yangtze Scholar" Award, one is involved in Ministry of Education New Century Excellent Talents supporting plan and four are provincial specialists.

Except several who are working for the degree, most young and middle- aged faculty members have earned their PhD degree. Its academic power has been further promoted. In recent years, it has undertaken 48 projects, among which 30 are of provincial or higher level. Excellent research achievements are made and it has won 22 prizes of provincial or higher level. It has also optimized its talent training, producing large amounts of qualified masters and doctors. Four doctoral dissertations were awarded provincial excellent. Academic exchange is also broadened. It has hosted 2 international conferences, 3 national conferences, and invited 25 scholars from home and abroad to give lectures here, and more than 10 of its faculty members attended international conferences or paid visits to foreign countries, with 6 of them giving keynote speeches. The supporting condition is optimized. It has built 3 professional websites, 2 large special databases and 22 research and social practice bases. This discipline has developed a positive trend to cooperate with other disciplines – supporting each other and developing together. Now its research fund is increasing largely and is better and more reasonably used.