Who’s Afraid of China? – the Latest from Zed Asian Arguments

As you may know I am editing a series of books for Zed Books in London. The series is called Asian Arguments and is composed of succinct (60,000 words or so) books on various themes in contemporary Asia. I’m enjoying the process of finding authors for the series and developing the titles as it allows me to stay abreast of contemporary issues in Asia and also to commission and publish books on subjects that interest me and that, I think, are under researched. Part of the aim of the series is to bring to light voices from below that are not often heard in these debates while also trying to bring academic research to a wider audience in a more accessible and readable form. We launched the series with Kerry Brown’s Ballot Box China, a great study of the state of democracy in China, last year.

Anyway, the second book in the series has just been published – Michael Barr’s Who’s Afraid of China: The Challenge of Chinese Soft Power. I think it’s a succinct and pointed round up of the efforts of Beijing to extend its soft power and Michael’s done a great job. Details below and some launch events in the UK to follow in a separate post.

If China suddenly democratised, would it cease being labelled as a threat? This provocative book argues that fears of China often say as much about those who hold them as they do about the rising power itself. It focuses not on the usual trope of economic and military might, but on China’s growing cultural influence and the connections between China’s domestic politics and its attempts to brand itself internationally. Using examples from film, education, media, politics, and art, Who’s Afraid of China? is both an introduction to Chinese soft power and a critical analysis of international reaction to it. It examines how the West’s own past, hopes, and fears shape the way it thinks about and engages with China and argues that the rising power touches a nerve in the Western psyche, presenting a fundamental challenge to ideas about modernity, history, and international relations.

‘One need not agree with every aspect of Michael Barr’s ‘Whose Afraid of China’ to benefit from his exploration of China’s use of ‘soft power’ and its attempt to exploit the global information space. China’s challenge in this dimension, its attempt to mis-position the West, to diminish Western values and appeal, reflect a maturing ‘battle of ideas’ about governance. Michael Barr offers interesting perspective on these dynamic questions. A good read for anyone concerned about governance, values and the increasingly informational dimension in which China increasingly challenges the West.’ – Dr Stefan Halper, University of Cambridge

”Who’s Afraid of China?’ by Michael Barr provides a very solid answer to the puzzle of why there is international fear of China’s rise. Both those advocating and opposing the theory of Chinese threat will understand why neither of their arguments holds water after reading this book. It is especially worth reading for those who plan to shape a friendly environment for China’s rise.’ – Professor Yan Xuetong, Tsinghua University, Beijing.

‘China’s rise has been generating so much breathless commentary that we now need more than just authors able to help us understand this complex country. We also need ones like Michael Barr who can shed light on the curious ways China is being fantasized about and feared. This short book provides not just a savvy analysis of Chinese soft power, but also a clear-eyed critique of the latest versions of Sinomania and Sinophobia.’ – Jeffrey Wasserstrom, Professor of History, UC-Irvine and author of ‘China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know’.