Human Rights in China

Eva Pils is Reader in Transnational Law at King's College London.

"Justice, tradition, contention: only Eva Pils could assess each of these complex constructs in the context of contemporary China, but also argue effectively that human rights have evolved as a social practice. In addition to systematically eviscerating authoritarians' shallow claims to uphold the rule of law, Pils offers a rich view of bottom-up, extraordinarily persistent activism - and the prospect of change in China."—Sophie Richardson, Human Rights Watch"This timely book reflects the ongoing shifts in China's human rights performance and offers insights into the larger ideological, procedural and institutional background in which lawyers in China carry out their struggles. Her sharp critiques of the Chinese system are not only legally valid and morally sound, but also theoretically relevant."—Hualing Fu, University of Hong Kong"The complexity of human rights discourse, law, and social practice in the Chinese context requires a multidimensional analysis and Pils' book meets the challenge. She presents a nuanced study of the Chinese human rights landscape based on years of experience and solid research including exchanges with lawyers, journalists, and other human rights defenders. The book goes beyond a straightforward examination of existing norms, counter-norms, and institutional mechanisms to stress the importance of the practice of human rights advocacy and persistent civil society responses in the face of intensifying repression in the Xi Jinping era."—Kelly Loper, I.con"The book provides a panoramic view for readers who are interested in obtaining comprehensive knowledge of human rights and the role of law in China today.... The book convincingly makes the case that all rights, as well as right violations, are interdependent, which explains why the suppression under China's Party-State needs to be so comprehensive and nuanced."—Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law"[A] rare and precious monograph with a bottom-up perspective. […] Pils fills the knowledge gap in China's human rights praxis."—Human Rights Review

• MapChronologyAcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1. Human Rights and Competing Conceptions of Justice, Law and Power in China2. Institutional Avenues of Human Rights Advocacy3. Liberty and Life4. Expression and Thought5. Inequality and Socio-economic Rights6. Rights DefendersConclusionNotes