Children and youth NGOs in China: Social activism between embeddedness and marginalization

Abstract

The proliferation of civic groups has been one of the most intriguing features of China’s societal transformation over the past three decades. The massive spread of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has given rise to a broad debate among China scholars about the nature of Chinese state–NGO relations. Several authors have developed theoretical concepts that highlight and explain the multifaceted and highly complex nature of relations between civic organizations and the party-state. Against this backdrop we develop the notion of embeddedness versus marginalization to unravel these complexities and clarify ambiguities. Drawing on in-depth case studies of nine Chinese NGOs working with children and youth, this article proposes a comprehensive conceptualization of Chinese civic groups’ political embeddedness versus marginalization. First, we identify three separate indicators of embeddedness: formal registration, informal ties with public authorities, and the political economy of NGO–government relations. Second, we discuss three factors that have a major influence on these indicators of embeddedness. While some of the dynamics discussed might be specific to children and youth NGOs, comparisons with the findings on NGOs working in different fields suggest that the notion of embeddedness versus marginalization may also apply to other sectors of social activism. Therefore, our study offers a more nuanced understanding of Chinese state–NGO relations.