Epistemological globalization and the shaping of social policy in China

Most studies on social policy research in China have followed the logic of methodological and theoretical nationalism. However, increased communication across borders and the trend of internationalization in the domain of social policy have challenged uniquely nationalistic narratives. The emergence of studies on global social policy has contributed to constructing an international arena of social policy within which the interplay of various international and supranational actors has exerted considerable influence on agenda setting and the conceptual frameworks of national social policy. However, such a theoretical approach has been neglected in both Chinese and international academia. This essay connects to the research on global social policy and elaborates an independent communication field transcending the scope of state-centered social policy. Through analyzing three social policy fields—old age pension schemes, work accident insurance and social assistance scheme since the reform and open-door policy—the author constructs an interaction and communication arena strongly shaped by international semantics and narratives. Epistemological globalization assumes that national knowledge reserves and structures are increasingly shaped by the flow of ideas across nation-state borders.