Beyond National Democracy: China’s Ideas and Ideas of China
This interview with historian Professor Xu Guoqi explores the major themes of his latest book The Idea of China at a moment marked by the weakening of the international order and the global resurgence of nationalism. We begin by tracing the changing meanings of “China” and “Chineseness.” The conversation then moves to thinking about Chinese universalism, its alignments and tensions with Western liberalism, conflicts between evolving historical identities and the projection of a stable national order, and the role of “cooked past” in constructing modern Chinese identity.
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Book Reviews
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12.05.2026
Beyond Populism: Two ways of Rethinking the Contemporary Right
Recent scholarship on the contemporary right has generated an abundant vocabulary: populism, authoritarianism, illiberalism, democratic backsliding. These terms capture real [...]
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Who Gets to Be European?
The word Europe has countless definitions. More often than not, most of them refer only to Western Europe. The book What is European? On Overcoming Colonial and Romantic Modes [...]
Podcasts and interviews
All Interviews and Podcasts21.05.2026
Beyond National Democracy: China’s Ideas and Ideas of China
This interview with historian Professor Xu Guoqi explores the major themes of his latest book The Idea of China at a moment marked by the weakening of the international order and the global [...]
18.05.2026
Mixed Families in Post-Conflict Societies- A Discussion with Karolina Lendák-Kabók and Lucija Balikić (Part 1)
Are interethnic marriages bridges or fault lines in post-conflict societies? What happens when the politics of national identity enter the intimacy of home? Who were the main agents to oppose or [...]