The China Sociological Discourse System Construction Forum, the 1st Forum of the “China Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction • Pudong Forums”, which are jointly sponsored by the China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong, the Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations and Shanghai Academy was held in Shanghai on July 17, 2017. Li Peilin, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Director of the General Office for the Coordination Conference of National Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction, Dong Yunhu, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shanghai Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Committee, and Zhou Zhongfei, Executive Vice President of the China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong, attended and addressed the forum. Ma Yuan, Head of the Bureau of Scientific Research Management of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), chaired the opening ceremony.

According to Li Peilin, strengthening the construction of the philosophy and social sciences discourse system with Chinese characteristics is a demand for innovating socialistic practices with Chinese characteristics, as well as an inevitable requirement for prospering and developing China’s philosophy and social sciences. On May 17, 2016, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out at the philosophy and social sciences work symposium that “contemporary China is experiencing the most extensive and profound social changes in its history, and making the grandest and most unique practice and innovation in human history. Such an unprecedented great practice will inevitably provide a powerful driving force and broad space for theoretical creation and academic prosperity. This is an era that needs theories and thoughts, and can produce theories and thoughts for sure.” Sociology is an important component of philosophy and social sciences; Contemporary Chinese sociology is the product of such a changing and open era. If the past 30 years are a “rapid growth period” of the development of Chinese sociology, under the guidance of new development concepts, in the decisive stage when the Chinese society has ushered into a well-off society in a comprehensive way, in the historic journey of realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, contemporary Chinese sociology will welcome a new and higher-level “golden age”. Under the new major historical opportunity, how to accelerate the building of a sociology discourse system with Chinese characteristics will be an arduous mission and glorious duty endowed to social scholars in the era.

Dong Yunhu stressed that as sociology is an important part of philosophy and the social sciences, promoting innovation and development of sociological theory is necessary in building philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. Proceeding from the development of contemporary China from a traditional society to a modern society, from an agricultural society to industrial society, and from a closed society to an open society, giving consideration to the changes in production, life, behavior, way of thinking and value concept of contemporary Chinese people, the summing up of China’s experience in social management and development, exploring and innovating social governance and social development theory, and establishing sociology with Chinese characteristics is a major mission undertaken by the nationwide sociological circle. We hope sociological experts and scholars will take a leading role, understand the difference between the past and present, expound their thoughts frankly and deeply, and collect strategies and ideas, so as to vigorously promote theoretical creation, academic prosperity and pragmatism of Chinese sociology, and effectively boost the construction of the academic system, subject system, textbook system and discourse system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

According to Zhou Zhongfei, promoting the construction of a philosophy and social sciences discourse system is a strategic task proposed by the CPC central committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and is of significant importance to accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, strengthening China's international discourse right and influence, and promoting the great socialist practice with Chinese characteristics. Advancing the construction of China’s philosophy and social sciences discourse system shall be based on China’s practice. The experience of China and the Chinese path shall be well summed up, the rational knowledge of socialist practice achievements with Chinese characteristics shall be constantly distilled; targeting at major issues, the rationale for a series of major theoretical and practical issues during the process of reform and development shall be expounded profoundly, with raising China’s international influence as the objective, Chinese explanations and solutions to world issues shall be put forward to gradually establish China’s international discourse right in philosophy and social science. In a word, a philosophy and social sciences discourse system with Chinese characteristics shall be established.

The forum’s keynote report stage was chaired by Li Youmei, First Vice President of Shanghai Academy. Hong Dayong, Professor of Renmin University of China, Gu Jun, Professor of Shanghai University, Liang Jingdong, Professor of Peking University, Zhai Xuewei, Professor of Nanjing University, Wang Ning, Professor of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhang Yi, Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Liu Jingbei, Professor of China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong, successively delivered keynote speeches entitled “Construction of a Sociology Discourse System with Chinese Characteristics”, “Learning from Marxist China, Building China’s Sociology Discourse System”, “Returning to the Study of Classics, Building China’s Sociology Discourse”, “Significance of Building China’s Sociology Discourse System”, “Crux in Sociological Localization”, “Development of Sociology with Chinese Characteristics and Formation of a Discourse System” and “Historical Transformation and Internal Logic of the Marxist Discourse System”.

The afternoon session was devoted to panel discussion. About 30 experts and scholars discussed and exchanged on such sociological construction topics as theoretical consciousness and Chinese sociological discourse system construction, theoretical consciousness and sociological school construction with Chinese characteristics, opinions on Chinese sociological discourse system construction, cultural consciousness: analysis on subjectivity, practical intention and Sinicized sociology, and construction of a Chinese sociological discourse system.

Yan Shuang, Vice Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Committee and Secretary of the Party Group of the Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, attended the closing ceremony and gave the concluding remarks. Wen Xueguo, Executive Vice President of Shanghai Academy, chaired the closing ceremony.

Around 200 experts and scholars from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Peking University, Tsinghua University, Communication University of China, Renmin University of China, Central University of Finance and Economics, China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, East China Normal University, Shanghai University, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Zhejiang University, Wuhan University, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-Sen University, Jilin University, Shandong University, and other colleges and universities, and research institutions attended the forum.

Reportedly, “the 3rd National Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction Theory Seminar” was held at China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong, in October 2016. During the period, Wang Weiguang, the chief convener of the Coordination Conference of National Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction, Secretary of the Party Group and President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), proposed to set up the China Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction • Pudong Forums at China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong. As the permanent forum supporting National Philosophy and Social Sciences Discourse System Construction Theory Seminar, it shall: implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important comments about philosophy and social sciences discourse system construction; advance the discourse system construction of philosophical and social sciences with Chinese characteristics; and serve for accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics. Pudong Forums aim to build a platform for communications between Shanghai and nationwide areas, promote interactions between academic and government circles and dialogue between China and foreign countries, and strives to become a first-class discourse system construction brand with Chinese characteristics and Shanghai style.

(by Zha Janguo, Photo by Xiang Jinmei)