Yifei Li (NYU Shanghai), Judith Shapiro (American University)

What does it mean for the future of the planet when one of the world's most durable authoritarian governance systems pursues "ecological civilization"? Despite its staggering pollution and colossal appetite for resources, China exemplifies a model of state-led environmentalism which concentrates decisive political, economic, and epistemic power under centralized leadership. On the face of it, China seems to embody hope for a radical new approach to environmental governance.
In their thought-provoking 2020 book, Yifei Li and Judith Shapiro probe the concrete mechanisms of China's coercive environmentalism to show how "going green" helps the state to further other agendas such as citizen surveillance and geopolitical influence.