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Jane Duckett

@j-duckett.bsky.social

1K followers 480 following 48 posts

Professor, Director of the Scottish Centre for China Research, University of Glasgow, Scotland. Chinese politics, local government, social and health policy.

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Jane Duckett, is a British political scientist and academic, who specialises in Chinese politics and social policy. Since 2012, she has been the Edward Caird Chair of Politics at the University of Glasgow. Previously, she was a lecturer at the University of Manchester and the University of York. .. more

Political science 51%

Economics 19%

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 16

So glad to announce that our paper on social media and policy change in China is now published in Political Studies and available open access.

Political Studies @polstudies.bsky.social · Jul 10

Can social media shift policy - even in authoritarian regimes? @anaineslanger.bsky.social, Hua Wang & @j-duckett.bsky.social explore how China strategically responded to online #COVID19 concerns. Read OPEN ACCESS: buff.ly/2iIgCGm

@polstudiesassoc.bsky.social @uoypolitics.bsky.social @sagepub.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · 4d

Please do join what promises to be a fascinating China Centre seminar with Joseph Torigian, who will be talking about his new book on Xi Jinping’s father. This Wednesday at 4pm UTC+1 — in person (Glasgow) and online (hybrid).

Holly Snape @hollysnapewang.bsky.social · 7d

Delighted that Joseph Torigian (@josephtorigian.bsky.social) will be joining us in Glasgow for
our Scottish Centre for China Research seminar series.

Join us! Wed 8 Oct 4pm UK time

To join online register via link at:
www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/...

The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping

Seminar by Dr Joseph Torigian, American University in Washington & University of Michigan, 8 October 2025

www.gla.ac.uk

Reposted by Jane Duckett

Holly Snape @hollysnapewang.bsky.social · 7d

The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping

Seminar by Dr Joseph Torigian, American University in Washington & University of Michigan, 8 October 2025

www.gla.ac.uk

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Reposted by Jane Duckett

Holly Snape @hollysnapewang.bsky.social · 15d

Excited that Scottish Centre for China Research (SCCR) will host @andreaghiselli.bsky.social for a talk “Discussing How We Understand and Study Chinese Foreign Policy”

When: Tuesday Sept 30th 4pm U.K. time

Join us online by registering at:

www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/...

Discussing How We Understand and Study Chinese Foreign Policy

Seminar by Dr Andrea Ghiselli, University of Exeter, 30 September 2025

www.gla.ac.uk

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 26

From Caixin Global: China’s Top Court Reaffirms Worker Rights in Social Insurance Disputes, generating widespread debate open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

Cover Story: China’s Top Court Reaffirms Worker Rights in Social Insurance Disputes

Judges declare invalid agreements that let companies skip employee payments for benefits

open.substack.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 14

Excellent response from Prof Zeng Jinghan (formerly University of Lancaster) to the recent report on the ‘crisis’ in China Studies inthe UK. Right on the nail. www.scmp.com/opinion/worl...

Opinion | London must look within, not towards Beijing, to fix academic woes

Instead of worrying about political interference from abroad, UK higher education administrators should deal with institutional decay at home.

www.scmp.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 8

open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

Analysis: Nine Takeaways as Politburo Charts a Cautious and Flexible Economic Course

Politburo aware of emerging risks despite economy’s steady performance

open.substack.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 7

Indeed

Simon Hix @simonhix.bsky.social · Aug 7

Please share this thread. It is important that political scientists, in Europe and across the world, understand why EPSS exists and why we are encouraging people to attend our inaugural conference, in Belfast next June.

EPSS @epssnet.bsky.social · Aug 7

EPSA have announced that they will hold a conference in July 2026.

😵‍💫 We understand that there might be some confusion about EPSS and EPSA.

👉🏽 So we thought we would clarify some things.

A short 🧵

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Reposted by Jane Duckett

The China-Global South Project @chinagsproject.bsky.social · Aug 7

Amid rising U.S.-India tensions over tariffs and Pakistan ties, Modi’s planned visit to China signals a diplomatic reset that could reshape alliances and regional dynamics in Asia ahead of the SCO summit.

Indian Prime Minister to Visit China as Tensions with U.S. Rise

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, will visit China for the first time in seven years. Modi will travel to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in late August. The announc...

chinaglobalsouth.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 6

China’s cyber-abuse scandal: is the government unwilling to crack down on exploitation of women online?

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Aug 4

“China’s government spending has pivoted toward social welfare to a degree unseen for at least a generation” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

China’s Social Spending Hits Highest Level in Nearly Two Decades

China’s government spending has pivoted toward social welfare to a degree unseen for at least a generation, as it runs a record budget deficit with a focus on boosting consumption to cushion the blow ...

www.bloomberg.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 31

open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

In Depth: China Intensifies War on Toxic Competition as Economy Suffers

Policymakers aren’t just focusing on the demand-supply imbalance anymore, but trying to tackle deeper problems, including local government subsidies and unfair corporate practices

open.substack.com

Reposted by Jane Duckett

Joe Weisenthal @weisenthal.bsky.social · Nov 18

Xi Xinping on falling population in China. Good read. www.geopolitechs.org/p/president-...

President Xi: population decline could benefit China's future development

Qiushi, an important affiliated publication of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article by President Xi Jinping on the decline of the country's population.

www.geopolitechs.org

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Reposted by Jane Duckett

Dake Kang @dakekang.bsky.social · Nov 24

A couple thoughts on this story by Elsie Chen and me:
-Upper-middle class urban China has become cool and fashionable! Little of that has reached foreign audiences except maybe through TikTok, because of the firewall and all those expelled journalists…
apnews.com/article/chin...

In China’s regimented society, youth find release at underground raves

In recent years, space for culture and creativity has been shrinking in China as the authorities have ramped up censorship of concerts, shows, and other cultural events.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Jane Duckett

Sense Hofstede @sensehofstede.nl · Dec 19

New York man pleads guilty in Chinese ‘secret police station’ case – Reuters: ‘Prosecutors said the site was being used in part for mundane government services’ ‘But prosecutors also said that in 2022, Lu was asked by Beijing to locate an individual living in California’

New York man pleads guilty in Chinese 'secret police station' case

A New York resident who prosecutors say operated a secret police station in the Chinatown district of Manhattan to aid Beijing's targeting of dissidents pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by Jane Duckett

Michael Kovrig @kovrig.bsky.social · Jan 14

Have your undersea #cables been cut recently? A Newsweek review of Chinese-language patent applications shows that engineers in #China invented devices to sever such cables quickly and cheaply:

Exclusive—Chinese patents reveal aim to cut undersea cables

Patent applications showed that Chinese scientists had been devising ways for severing undersea cables

www.newsweek.com

Reposted by Jane Duckett

Political Studies @polstudies.bsky.social · Jul 10

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 18

Pressures on China’s public health insurance programme continue to grow open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

Millions Drop Out of Key Health Insurance Plan in China

The program lost nearly 16 million members last year as local-level deficits emerge, highlighting financial and demographic pressures on the nation’s vast social safety net

open.substack.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 17

We think this is the first paper — on any country — to show through a systematic study when a government responds with policy change to issues raised on social media (and when it does not). @chinamediaproject.bsky.social @nihr.bsky.social @uofglasgow.bsky.social @uofgpolicy.bsky.social

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 16

open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

In Depth: Commercial Insurance’s Rise Exposes Chokepoints in China’s Medical System

Patients who buy their own coverage often find themselves unable to access innovative drugs and treatments because the state system isn’t geared up to deal with them

open.substack.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jul 9

Fascinating piece from Caixin Global on China’s ongoing real estate crisis. It is far from over. open.substack.com/pub/caixinch...

Cover Story: Developers Impose Deeper ‘Haircuts’ on Creditors in Latest Debt Overhauls

"China’s spiraling property slump sends developers down path of radical debt restructuring

open.substack.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jun 28

China ‘planned car collision’ during Taiwan vice-president’s visit to Prague

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jun 13

Chinese Labor Rights Group Led by Former Tiananmen Protest Leader Closes www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/b...

Chinese Labor Rights Group Led by Former Tiananmen Protest Leader Closes

www.nytimes.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Feb 25

Interesting FT analysis — state property developers increasingly dominate ig.ft.com/china-proper...

How the state is propping up China’s housing market

As the government struggles to ease a real estate crisis, state-owned developers have been buying up land

ig.ft.com

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Jan 14

Wow!

Michael Kovrig @kovrig.bsky.social · Jan 14

Have your undersea #cables been cut recently? A Newsweek review of Chinese-language patent applications shows that engineers in #China invented devices to sever such cables quickly and cheaply:

Exclusive—Chinese patents reveal aim to cut undersea cables

Patent applications showed that Chinese scientists had been devising ways for severing undersea cables

www.newsweek.com

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Dec 24

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
20/20

#BookSky #Books #BookChallenge

Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Dec 22

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
19/20

#BookSky #Books #BookChallenge

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Dec 21

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
18/20

#BookSky #Books #BookChallenge

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Jane Duckett @j-duckett.bsky.social · Dec 20

Snow was also criticised for what some saw as his rose-tinted portrayal of the CPC. But it is an evocative account of the Yan’an base.