"Moral Engineering" in 21 st Century China

Speaker : H. Christoph Steinhardt, University of Vienna

Following China’s transition from the Mao era to the reform period, capitalist modernization has profoundly reshaped the country’s moral landscape. Intellectuals and media commentators increasingly warn of a moral crisis. In response, the state has expanded efforts at "moral engineering": a coordinated attempt to reshape citizens’ values, norms, and conduct in the name of the common good, social order, and political loyalty. This talk conceptualizes "moral engineering", documents the demand for it, and examines its mechanisms, reach, and limits using original survey data and social media evidence. I show that perceptions of normlessness are widespread and place growing pressure on political legitimacy. The state seeks to harness these concerns by framing governance problems in moral terms and legitimizing surveillance policies. While such framing generates online attention, its capacity to build support for surveillance remains uneven and socially differentiated.

Discussant: Jean-Louis Rocca, Sciences Po-CERI
Chair: Françoise Mengin, Sciences Po-CERI
 

(crédits : Françoise Mengin)