Using in-depth case studies of a wide-range of political, social and economic reforms in contemporary China this volume sheds light on the significance and consequences of institutional change for stability of the political system in China.

Introduction Thomas Heberer/Gunter Schubert Part I: Politics 1. Ideological Reform and Political Legitimacy in China: Challenges in the Post-Jiang Era Heike Holbig 2. The Peasant’s Rescue from the Cadre? An Institutional Analysis of China’s Rural Tax and Fee Reform Christian Göbel 3. Village Elections, Citizenship and Regime Legitimacy in Contemporary Rural China Gunter Schubert 4. Institutional Change by Urban Elections? People’s Awareness of Elections and Participation in Urban Neighbourhoods (Shequ) Thomas Heberer Part II: Political Economy 5. Principles of Property Rights Evolution in China’s Rural Industry Markus Taube 6. An Evolutionary Approach to Endogenous Political Constraints of Transition in China Carsten Herrmann-Pillath 7. Internationalising China's Capital Markets: Changing Actor Constellations and Emerging Transnational Professional Communities Svenja Schlichting 8. Censorship and Marketization: Institutional Change Within China’s Media Doris Fischer Part III: Society 9. Social Security in Contemporary China Barbara Darimont 10. The Emergence of a ‘Socialist’ Market Labour Regime in China Günter Schucher/Jutta Hebel 11. Institutional Change in China’s Anti-Poverty Policy: the Contested Role of NGOs Bettina Gransow 12. Environmental Policy Reform in China Andreas Oberheitmann