ABSTRACT
While the concept of civil society is not new, what is understood by it remains widely contested. Although debates persist over terminology and the universality of civil society as a concept (Guan 2005), it nevertheless continues to act as a term garnering considerable interest (Schwartz 2003: 3). In the Chinese context, although there are still some voices warning against attempts to create a Western-style civil society in China, it appears that despite periodic crackdowns on discussions around the term, either in the media or in education, “most people—even those in government—seem ready to embrace civil society ‘with Chinese characteristics’” (Simon 2012).
