Self-Development Ethics and Politics in China Today

This volume takes readers on a journey into a central aspect of life in China, so-called "e;self-development."e; Whether prompted by the cultural values of educational success, capitalist competition for wealth, or the Chinese Communist Party's prescriptions for "e;good"e; citizenship, few people in China are immune to the impetus to "e;improve"e; themselves and thus bring about a better future. Contributors to this volume, interdisciplinary sinologists, draw on materials from practices in education, labor, and self-help as they spotlight "e;keywords"e; by which individuals make sense of their self-development journeys - including new forms of resistance to social norms. Rather than simply classify self-development by different activities or groups, the chapters map together ethical features that cut across Chinese society. Contributors explore the nuanced and ambivalent attitudes towards self-development of individuals navigating various requirements and pursuing more complete forms of existence. In so doing, they offer a snapshot of China that intersects with timely global concerns.