Political Science PhD alumnus Hairong Lai's book China Experiments: From Local Innovations to National Reform co-authored with Ann Florini and Yeling Tan was published by Brooking Institution Press. The book examines the changing relationship between that state and its society, as demonstrated by numerous experiments in governance at subnational levels, and explores the implications for China's future political trajectory.
"China is moving toward a new kind of authoritarianism, one that provides 'greater voice and accountability' and is responsive enough to blur the distinction with democracy. [...] Even though one-party rule remains sacrosanct, the authors identify a variety of local experiments that have loosened top-down control and opened channels for citizen input. [...] The question is whether these experiments are less-than-halfway measures designed only to disguise the true structure of power or whether they are the early signs of real change, as the authors seem to believe," as the journal of Foreign Affairs presented the book in their review.