Sinica Podcast

Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art — Part 2, with Alice Miller and Joseph Fewsmith

Feb 27, 2025

Alice Miller, a leading authority on Chinese politics and foreign policy, joins Joseph Fewsmith, a professor focused on contemporary Chinese politics. They discuss the evolution of methods used to analyze China, including the shift from fieldwork to media analysis. The duo explores the dual systems of information in Chinese media and the impact of censorship. They also reflect on the challenges faced by younger scholars in today's research landscape, emphasizing the need for innovative methodologies and the importance of bridging gaps in understanding contemporary Chinese society.

01:23:23

Episode guests

Joseph Fewsmith

Alice Miller

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Understanding China's political landscape requires analyzing both internal and public media to uncover diverse perspectives and policy-making processes.

The evolution of digital media challenges traditional research methods, necessitating a re-evaluation of how analysts interpret information in contemporary China.

As restrictions on direct engagement increase, scholars must adapt by integrating historical methods with innovative approaches to study China's political dynamics.

Deep dives

The Importance of Understanding China Watching

China watching requires an understanding of its historical context and methods. The classical method, essential for analyzing contemporary Chinese affairs, involves media analysis, which focuses on interpreting the available sources from Chinese media. In earlier decades, limited access to information forced analysts to rely on PRC media and independent Hong Kong press as primary sources. This reliance has evolved since the 1970s, with the introduction of new media and increased access to Chinese officials and scholars, leading to a broader understanding of Chinese elite politics.

Intro

2min

Understanding China: Historical Context and Media Analysis

23min

Exploring Dual Systems of Information in Chinese Media

3min

Media Dynamics in Chinese Politics

42min

Reflections on Academic Experience and Future Connections in Taiwan and China

2min

Adapting Research Methodologies in Studying Modern China

5min

Exploring the Dynamics of Central and Local Media in China

3min

Navigating Information Barriers in 21st Century China Studies

4min

This week: Part 2 in a series of podcasts in conjunction with the China Research Center at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The series, titled "Studying China in the Absence of Access: Rediscovering a Lost Art," ran from September to November 2021, and featured four eminent "Pekingologists," or specialists in Chinese elite politics: Joseph Fewsmith, Thomas Fingar, Alice Miller, and Fred Teiwes. The talks were later published in a volume you can download here. The series is introduced by Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman, Professor of China Studies and director of the SAIS China Research Center, and each lecture includes a moderated discussion with Andy. After this series, I'll also be sharing with you a second series of lectures titled "Studying China from Elsewhere," which will include talks by Maria Repnikova, Mike Lampton, William Hurst, and Maggie Lewis — many of whom Sinica listeners will know from the show.

Alice Lyman Miller is a leading scholar of Chinese politics and foreign policy. A research fellow at the Hoover Institution and lecturer in East Asian Studies at Stanford University, she previously served as an analyst at the CIA and editor of China Leadership Monitor. Miller's work has been instrumental in decoding the opaque world of Chinese elite politics, with a particular focus on political discourse and leadership transitions. Her major publications include Becoming Asia: Change and Continuity in Asian International Relations Since World War II (2011).

Joseph Fewsmith is one of the foremost experts on contemporary Chinese politics, known for his in-depth analysis of political reform, elite competition, and policy shifts under the Chinese Communist Party. A professor of international relations and political science at Boston University, Fewsmith has authored seminal books such as China Since Tiananmen: The Politics of Transition (2001) and Rethinking Chinese Politics (2021), which challenge conventional wisdom on China's political system. His work blends rigorous historical analysis with close readings of official discourse.

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