Including key research articles from specialists in the field, this volume provides an introduction and critical insights into the most important debates surrounding the governance of contemporary China. The material will enable readers to understand how China is ruled, how participation and protest are regulated by the authorities, and the relationship between the Central state and its local agencies. Spanning the most important areas of the subject, the chosen articles explore the study of Chinese politics, the nature of the Chinese political system, the policy-making process, the nature of the local state, participation and protest, and authoritarian resilience or democratization.Professor Saich's collection brings together essential reading for students of China, those who are interested in comparative politics and the general reader who wants a coherent introduction about how China is ruled.33 Articles, dating from 1992 to 2013Contributors include: D.S.G. Goodman, M. Manion, A.C. Mertha, A.J. Nathan, B. Naughton, K.J. O'Brien, J. C. Oi, E.J. Perry, V. Shih, L.L. Tsai