The Self-Assertion of Chinese Academia and Marxist Philosophy

From a Marxist philosophical perspective, this collection of essays investigates the maturing self-consciousness and self-assertion of Chinese academia, especially within the humanities and social sciences, permitting more penetrating insights and critical engagement with the social reality of China.
The author elaborates on the relationship between Hegel and Marx’s philosophy and their concepts of reality, thereby accounting for the historic and philosophical conditions for the autonomy of Chinese academia. Drawing on intellectual resources from both Eastern and Western archives, including phenomenology, philosophical hermeneutics, Western Marxism, and China’s pacifist tradition, the book refutes Huntington’s speculation about Chinese imperialism and delineates how China’s development can contribute to a fundamental critique of capitalist civilisation and a new paradigm of global governance. In addition, the book challenges the thinking of Chinese neo-liberals and nationalist-conservatives and their understandings of the history and social reality of China. Hence, the author advocates a reconstruction of the spiritual and intellectual realm within society based on Marxism, in order to counter Sinophobia, neo-liberalism, and nationalism at the same time.

The book will appeal to readers interested in social and political philosophy, philosophy of history, Marxism, and China studies.

Xiaoming WU is Professor of Philosophy at Fudan University. He specialises in Marxist philosophy, German Idealism, philosophical hermeneutics, and philosophy of history. He is also a leading scholar elaborating on the concept of social reality in the context of China.