Bruce Dickson (George Washington University), Alyssa Ayres (George Washington University)

Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has maintained unrivaled control over the country, persisting even in the face of economic calamity, widespread social upheaval, and violence against its own people. Yet the party does not sustain dominance through repressive tactics alone—it pairs this with surprising responsiveness to the public. Bruce Dickson's new book, The Party and the People explores how this paradox has helped the CCP endure for decades, and how this balance has shifted increasingly toward repression under the rule of President Xi Jinping. Join us for a discussion with Alyssa Ayres, dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs, and Bruce Dickson. This discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A session. Registration closes at 10 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 5. Registered guests will receive an email with instructions for joining WebEx prior to the event. Media inquiries must be sent to gwmedia@gwu.edu in advance.