Here’s the first paragraph of an article I published last week at the Dissent magazine website, on the chengguan, or “urban management,” units that patrol cities like Shanghai. Chengguan have been in the news recently after the death of a produce vendor at the hands of one such para-police unit. I didn’t notice the apple … Continue reading New Writing: “China’s Para-Police”
Shanghai State of Mind
Rivalry between Beijing and Shanghai goes back a long way. It’s often, in my experience, of a friendly sort: upon hearing that I’ve lived in both cities, Chinese will ask me (usually with a smile) which one I like better, and I’ll laugh as I declare that whichever one they come from is my favorite. … Continue reading Shanghai State of Mind
Keeping Busy
At the beginning of 2013, I set a goal of writing one blog post a week. Halfway through the year, I’ve obviously fallen short. I don’t necessarily lack for things to talk about, but some weeks it’s nearly impossible to find the time and energy to organize my thoughts, sit down, and write. It’s amazing … Continue reading Keeping Busy
