Historical Nihilism as a Political Technology in China

It traces the transformation of “historical nihilism” from a loose rhetorical charge used to discredit heterodox interpretations of history into an institutionalised political technology under Xi Jinping. Whereas earlier invocations lacked legal force and organisational embedding, the post-2013 period saw the construction of an anti-historical nihilism regime spanning law, Party discipline, education, and digital governance. The argument is that the party-state no longer merely narrates history but regulates the conditions under which history can be spoken, known, and sanctioned, asserting a form of epistemic sovereignty over the past.

The talk is taking place in room G39, in the King's Building, on the Strand campus.

SPEAKER

Jean Christopher Mittelstaedt is Professor of Modern Chinese Studies and Chair of Modern Chinese Studies at the University of Zurich. He previously held positions at SOAS, University of London, and the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the ideological and institutional foundations of Chinese Communist Party rule, with particular attention to party governance and cultural governance. His work has appeared in The China Quarterly, Modern China, Asian Survey, and China Information, among others.

CHAIR

Dr Olivia Cheung is Lecturer in Politics at the Department of European & International Studies and Affiliate of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. She is also China Fellow at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Brussels School of Governance, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Previously, she was Research Fellow at the China Institute of SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London, and Teaching Fellow at the University of Warwick. She obtained the MPhil and DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford as a Swire Scholar and Rhodes Scholar.

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