Yida Zhai – författare

To understand why the Chinese Communist Party has sustained its authoritarian political system, it is important to examine China's politics through the eyes of its people. This book presents the first comprehensive study of the political psychology of citizens in rising China, examining their attitudes toward democracy, their government, and their authoritarian political system, alongside their views of China's rise and its relations with foreign nations. It uses data from multiple public opinion surveys to elucidate the evolution of Chinese people's political perceptions and preferences under Xi's leadership. The author develops the theory of political guardianship psychology, a novel framework for understanding the Chinese political mindset. By applying a political-psychological approach, the chapters detail the strengths and vulnerabilities of China's authoritarian system, offering valuable insights into the country's trajectory. As such, the book is an essential resource for scholars in political psychology, political science, Chinese studies, and foreign policy.

This book elucidates state-society relations in East Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic from a comparative perspective.Based on the findings of cross-national surveys in Japan, South Korea, and China, the book scrutinizes the dynamics of the state–society relationships in each country, examining trends of change in this relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Citizens’ attitudes toward individual freedom, the state’s anti-pandemic policies, vaccine hesitancy, and income redistribution policies across the three countries are compared revealing how public opinion in Japan, South Korea, and China during the COVID-19 pandemic provides a basis for understanding the complex relationship between state and society in East Asia.Transcending national boundaries and uncovering citizens’ evaluations of their domestic and neighboring countries’ pandemic responses in East Asia, this book will be an indispensable resource for anyone interested in East Asian society and politics.