Newspeak And Newthink: China’s “rejuvenation” Of Its Memory-nurbook

Newspeak And Newthink: China's "rejuvenation" Of Its Memory book cover

Newspeak And Newthink: China's "rejuvenation" Of Its Memory

Author(s): Volker Stanzel (Author)

Publisher: WSPC
Publication Date: March 24, 2026
Language: English
Print length: 252 pages
ISBN-10: 9819821657
ISBN-13: 9789819821655

Book Description

This book investigates how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constructs and deploys a powerful politics of memory — reshaping historical narratives, redefining national identity, and reinforcing its political legitimacy. Through patriotic education, curated exhibitions, school textbooks, TV documentaries, and films, the state crafts a selective view of the past to support its vision of national “rejuvenation” and global resurgence. The book traces this dynamic from ancient Confucian historiography to the disruptions of Western imperialism, the Communist Revolution, and the post-Tiananmen era. It examines how memory is produced, taught, and ritualised in contemporary China, drawing on cultural memory theory and a rich array of real-world examples. Special focus is placed on how official narratives are framed in institutions like museums, classrooms, and public commemorations. By offering a clear and accessible exploration of China’s evolving relationship with its past, Newspeak and Newthink provides crucial insight into the ideological foundations of the CCP’s domestic and international strategies. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how historical imagination becomes an instrument in shaping one of the world’s most influential powers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Volker Stanzel holds a PhD in Japanese and Chinese Studies, and Political Science from Cologne University. He is a former Political Director in the German Foreign Office and served as Ambassador to China (2004–2007) and to Japan (2009–2014). Since retiring, he has taught at Claremont McKenna College, the University of California, Santa Cruz, Dokkyo University in Japan, and the Free University of Berlin. From 2017 to 2023, he taught “Politics of Memory” at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. He is currently a Visiting Fellow on the Executive Board of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. He is the author of numerous articles, essays, and books on current political and Asian affairs.

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