08.02.2017 - 16:00

Research Forum Lecture by King Lun NGOK

China's Social Turn and Social Policy Expansion in the New Century: Toward A New Welfare Regime? | Wed, Feb. 8, 2017, 16 - 18 h | Room SG 183, Geibelstraße 41, Campus Duisburg

Abstract
At the turn of the century, concerning about increasing social risks and social instability in contexts of globalization and marketization has caused the Chinese government to pay more attention to the balance between economic growth and social development. As a result, a ‘social turn’ occurred in China at the every early years of the new century, especially since the year of 2003. The ‘social turn’ has brought about a rapid expansion of social policy in China and the scope of social policy has broadened. In the recent a decade-odd, while many new social programs have been launched (beyond the occupation-based social insurance model), many old programs have expanded their coverage, especially the social insurance programs. With the broadening of the scope of social policy, trends associated with universal coverage are apparent, for instance, coverage of the health insurance was almost universalized. Accordingly, overall social expenditure has increased gradually.
Meanwhile, many new approaches and innovations were suggested to implement social policy. To conclude, China has elevated the importance of social policy in its policy portfolios. Based on the review of the recent social policy expansion and the development of social protection system in China, this presentation will describe the process of the welfare state rebuilding in China, explore its dynamics behind, and discuss the nature and future of the emerging welfare state in China.

About the lecturer
Kinglun Ngok is the Pearl River Scholar Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at School of Government/Centre for Chinese Public Administration Research, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. Prior to joining Sun Yat-sen University in 2004, he taught at Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong where he completed his PhD. His current research interest is social policy, social insurance, and social services. He is the founding director of the Institute for Social Policy at Sun Yat-sen University. His publications have appeared in journals such as Social Policy and Administration, Social Policy and Society, International Review of Administrative Sciences, and Australian Journal of Public Administration. His English books include Social Policy in China: Development and Wellbeing (2008, Policy Press), Welfare Reform in East Asia: Towards Workfare? (2011, Routledge), and China’s Social Policy: Transformation and Challenges (2016, Routledge). He is also the editor-in-chief of Chinese Public Policy Review.