The Impacts of Guanxi

Drug Policing Under Police Professionalisation in China

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2392330
AutoresHaitao Shi (0000-0001-5600-3890, The University of Edinburgh, UK, autor de correspondencia)
Año2024
Volumen29
Número3
Páginas579-595
Fecha de publicación2024-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociological Research Online (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1360-7804 • E-ISSN: 1360-7804
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/13607804231177501
OpenAlexW4386688216
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas40

Guanxi is a ubiquitous, intricate, and enduring characteristic of Chinese society and permeates virtually every aspect of Chinese life. Drug policing is no exception. This study attempts to clarify the concept of guanxi and illustrate how guanxi affects police professionalisation in China through observing drug policing conducted by two Anti-Drug Squads and one Anti-Drug Corps in Jixiang City in China and interviewing 25 anti-drug police officers. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. This article defines guanxi as a long-term, interpersonal, and transmittable relationship that is connected by ganqing (affective bonds) and renqing (instrumental bonds). It involves mianzi (face and reputation) maintenance and social reciprocity. It highlights the importance of the Guanxi Base, which has often been omitted in previous literature. It argues that guanxi may result in unfair police management and give rise to renqing cases that undermine police professionalisation and the rule of law. Furthermore, it is argued that police professionalisation may bring about some resistance to political interference, particularly when it violates the law. However, guanxi operates smoothly within legal boundaries during drug policing

China · Criminology · Guanxi · Legitimacy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Law · Policing Practices and Perceptions