André Laliberté Chinese Political Science and the Study of Religion Introduction Political scientists outside China have expressed an increasing interest in loo- king at the intersection between religion and politics in that country. 1 But how do their Chinese counterparts respond to that interest? How do political scien- tists in China look at religion’s influence in the politics of their society and that of others? CCP officials express their views often on religion and religious be- lievers, and the government regularly addresses the public on policies about religious matters, whether it is to celebrate the positive contribution of religion to the public interest (gongyi shiye 公益事业), its role in building an harmoni- ous society (goujian hexie shehui 构建和谐社会), or guarding against ‘evil cults’ (fangfan xiejiao 防范邪教). In doing so, they rely on the expert knowledge pro- duced by a growing epistemic community looking at religion from a wide vari- ety of angles. Scholars in social sciences and humanities present their research findings and express their views on religion in their country though a number of research institutes and journals. But how often are political scientists asked to provide their view on religion and politics, keeping in mind that party and state officials commission them to assess government policies on poverty allevi- ation, environmental protection, and a host of other issues? This question matters for outsiders who want to better understand the politics of religion and the religious dimension of politics in China. 2 Political scientists from abroad who want to achieve this understanding, like their colleagues in other disciplines, are aware that they need to know about the institutional con- straints, assumptions, concerns, and methods that shape the production of know- ledge among their Chinese peers. However, political scientists face a daunting challenge. Many Chinese social scientists and scholars in the humanities are Note: I would like to acknowledge the help of Lu Lu for her assistance in preparing this chap- ter, and thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council its financial support. 1 I refer to Susan McCarthy’s chapter in this book for an overview of non-Chinese political sci- entists’ study of religion in China. 2 The perennial risk of political leaders developing a ‘cult of personality’ reminds us of the importance of thinking about the religious dimension of politics. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110547801-010 Bereitgestellt von | Universitaetsbibliothek Leipzig Angemeldet Heruntergeladen am | 28.08.19 09:07