2025年11月1日至2日，上海

1-2 November 2025, Shanghai

联合主办方｜Co-Sponsors

复旦大学全球公共政策研究院

Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP), Fudan University

伦敦政治经济学院社会政策系

The Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

承办方｜Host

复旦—LSE全球公共政策研究中心

LSE-Fudan Research Centre for Global Public Policy

Symposium Background

After decades of rapid economic growth, observers have long expected the development of a more robust philanthropic culture in China. A rising middle class— alongside a growing population of the super-rich—suggests a strong structural basis for greater philanthropy nationwide. And yet, charitable giving has yet to realise its full potential. While cultural norms, historical traditions, and innate altruistic orientations are bound to play key roles in individuals’ philanthropic behaviour, public policy is also deeply intertwined with charitable giving, worldwide—and increasingly in China. Recent policies have directly sought to encourage philanthropic activity: The Chinese government has framed charitable giving as part of a citizen’s duty under the vision of ‘common prosperity’; the concept of ‘tertiary distribution’ further reinforces the expectation that individuals should redistribute wealth and resources to support the less fortunate. At the same time, other policy developments have complicated philanthropic efforts, such as the revised 2023 Charity Law that has sought to centralise donations under state-controlled platforms.

Themes of the Special Issue

This symposium, in support of a special issue of Global Public Policy and Governance, invites participants to explore the policy and politics of philanthropy in contemporary China. It is interested both in how policy can enable, or inhibit, charitable giving—and how philanthropy itself might be used to assist the state in policymaking and delivery. While we are open to any research that fits broadly within this focus, some themes may include: the effect of policies designed to promote philanthropic giving on actual citizen behavior; the role of the market and technological innovation in facilitation charitable giving; the relationship of culture and philanthropy; altruism as a determinant of philanthropy behaviour; and the the role of philanthropic in social policy provision, just to name a few.

Working Plan  

Symposium participants are mostly by invitation. For authors who are not previously invited, please submit full draft papers to (gppg@fudan.edu.cn) by Oct 15th. The paper shall not be already by published and will be considered for included in the special issue based on this Symposium. The conference organizer will inform the authors about the decision in one week after the submission.