Since 2015, I’ve taught at the annual LSE-Peking University Summer School in Beijing. While previous courses focused on NGO development in China, I launched a new course in 2019 entitled Policy Innovation and Social Governance in China: From Big Society to Social Credit Scores.

This course introduces students to the ways in which China has developed, tested, and implemented a wide range of macro- and micro-level policy innovations to deal with growing social problems—many of which are unintended side effects of rapid economic development.

The course uses more established approaches to governance like ‘small state, big society’, and brand new ones, such as the Social Credit system (set to launch nationwide in 2020) to explore several key questions: How do states organise and manage societies Why are some policy innovations employed over others? How can states, societies, and markets work in cooperation to address pressing social problems? How successful are these schemes, and how might they differently affect particular groups? How can we anticipate (and potentially minimise) the unintended effects of planned social management policies?

 
 
To watch a short video introduction my new course, please click here.

To watch a short video introduction my new course, please click here.

 

The first week contextualises social governance in China, using the ‘big society’ as a lens through which we examine key actors in social management: the decentralised state, bureaucrats, and local politics; NGOs and social organisations; the family as basic organising unit of society; and the private sector and markets.

The second week introduces the Social Credit system, a private sector-inspired innovation in which citizens are awarded points for good behaviour and deducted for bad, with the overall goal of making citizens ‘better’ and governance easier. We explore key areas that Social Credit is designed to improve (e.g., trustworthiness, generosity, happiness) and in so doing, also examine potential unintended, negative consequences.

Throughout the course, we draw upon theories from many disciplines, including political science, sociology, economics, public health, psychology, and social policy. And we explore empirical examples from various policy areas, such as demographic challenges, family planning, elder care, health care, environmental protection, gender equality, and sexuality—paying particular attention to the most vulnerable in society, those who are frequently ‘unseen’ by states in social governance schemes.

The course exemplifies my research-led teaching. Lectures draw from my work on state-society relations; students gain an intimate look at the research process, learning from recent findings from my ongoing research into the effect of policy innovations like Social Credit on notions of citizenship, trust, and loyalty in China. The course also demonstrates the high value I place on teaching-led research: with the study of policy innovation and social management still relatively new, there remain many unasked, and unanswered, questions.

While designed for advanced undergraduates and postgrads, I invite all to apply. In the past, I’ve had students who recently completed their bachelors degrees, those beginning master's studies, doctoral students, and mid-career professionals in government, law, and business.  

To learn more or apply, visit the LSE-PKU Summer School website.

 

Alumni testimonials

"As a professional working with NGOs and social enterprises, I would highly recommend this course to anyone including other professionals seeking to gain an understanding of the economic and political context in which these organisations work in China.  Dr Hildebrandt was an expert facilitator and his cross-cultural and first-hand experience really brought out the fascinating different perspectives in the classroom.  Being with classmates from around the world was a real highlight and enhanced the immersive experience of the course." Jon Cheung, Principal, Prolegis Lawyers, Australia

 

"Dr. Timothy Hildebrandt is by far the most inspiring professor that I've ever encountered. Not only did he give us a full picture of a civil society in the Chinese context, but he also gave me the direction to apply the knowledge to reality…. I had zero knowledge about NGO or social enterprises before LSE-PKU Summer School, however, after the high-quality and amazing ten lectures that Dr. Hildebrandt taught, I gradually developed an interest of NGO-studies. I now have the plan to further my interest by applying for master programs that are related to NGOs." Yihan Wu, Beijing Foreign Studies University, China.

“From NGOs to Social Enterprises surpassed all my expectations for a short summer course on such a complex topic and prepared me for my subsequent master’s degree in the field of public administration. The breadth and depth of work covered by both Professor Hildebrandt and our tremendously talented TA, was astounding given the compressed time frame. Professor Hildebrandt’s interactive seminar style of teaching was most conducive to the pace of the program and promoted inter-student learning, which was particularly beneficial given the diversity of perspectives and experiences of students in the program. His subject matter expertise in the field of social organizations in the Chinese context also cannot be understated, and it was truly a tremendous privilege to learn from him on this ever-evolving topic. Moreover, the ability of both Professor and TA to convey complex theories to a class with varying levels of knowledge about the topic and associated literature was remarkable. Like most exceptional classes, be prepared to leave with more unanswered questions and to truly broaden the scope of your thinking in relation to the topic and China!” Jadey Huray, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, USA

 
 
Click the image above to watch a short video introduction to my previous course

Click the image above to watch a short video introduction to my previous course

 

"This course was specifically designed for satisfying students’ needs to explore the function of NGOs including but not limited to the Chinese perspective. It personally expanded my horizons to understand the state of the Chinese polity not only from the view of NGOs, but also from some of the unusual issues in China such as LGBT. I think the unique methodology and a comparative global perspective from this course prepare me well to connect my own research in social history and Dr Hildebrandt’s research. Both the lectures from Dr Hildebrandt and the Teaching Assistant were inspiring and interacting." Junyi Zhang (Simon), Nankai University, China