The Performative State: Public Scrutiny and Environmental Governance in China - Couverture rigide

Ding, Iza Yue

 
9781501760372: The Performative State: Public Scrutiny and Environmental Governance in China
Couverture rigide
ISBN 10 : 1501760378 ISBN 13 : 9781501760372
Editeur : Cornell University Press, 2022

Synopsis

What does the state do when public expectations exceed its governing capacity? The Performative State shows how the state can shape public perceptions and defuse crises through the theatrical deployment of language, symbols, and gestures of good governance--performative governance.

Iza Ding unpacks the black box of street-level bureaucracy in China through ethnographic participation, in-depth interviews, and public opinion surveys. She demonstrates in vivid detail how China's environmental bureaucrats deal with intense public scrutiny over pollution when they lack the authority to actually improve the physical environment. They assuage public outrage by appearing responsive, benevolent, and humble. But performative governance is hard work. Environmental bureaucrats paradoxically work themselves to exhaustion even when they cannot effectively implement environmental policies. Instead of achieving "performance legitimacy" by delivering material improvements, the state can shape public opinion through the theatrical performance of goodwill and sincere effort.

The Performative State also explains when performative governance fails at impressing its audience and when governance becomes less performative and more substantive. Ding focuses on Chinese evidence but her theory travels: comparisons with Vietnam and the United States show that all states, democratic and authoritarian alike, engage in performative governance.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

À propos de l?auteur

Iza Ding is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Follow her on X @izading.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
Cornell University Press
Date d'édition
2022
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
1501760378
ISBN 13 
9781501760372
Reliure
Relié
Nombre de pages
258
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
non disponible