Civic belief systems in Chinese citizenship education

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the Chinese approach to citizenship education through the lens of civic belief systems. Engaging in beliefs and believing is crucial for developing any form education for citizenship. Yet both belief systems and citizenship education are constructed in social, cultural and political contexts so differences can be expected where these contexts differ. The chapter will discuss the changing belief systems within China over time and between China and the West. Two particular belief systems, nationalism and politics, will be highlighted. The chapter argues that conceptualizations of citizenship and citizenship education are employed by intellectual and political elites to establish ‘consensus’ and ‘solidarity’ for shaping citizens’ civic identity in the Chinese context. Copyright © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Zhonghua Guo; individual chapters, the contributors.