The Revival of Chinese Cultural Nationalism

The debate on Chinse cultural nationalism, as on nationalism in general, is often polarised by a number of theoretical positions, value judgements, practical concerns and methodological choices. While there is no consensus that cultural nationalism has developed into a formidable force in China, few would deny that it has been on the rise since June 4, 1989, and that it is a cultural-political movement with no parallel in the People’s Republic, except perhaps for the period following May 4, 1919. Of central concern in this special issue of PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies are the manifestations of cultural nationalism, the causation of its resurgence in post-Tiananmen China, and the ways in which it is likely to impact on China’s future development.