China bans social sciences journal

China has ordered a new magazine, allied to 바카라사이트 Academy of Social Sciences, to cease publishing.

The magazine, which summarises some of 바카라사이트 most up-to-date research under way in China's social science circles, has "stopped publication", a spokeswoman for Joint Publishing, a Beijing publishing company, said.

She declined to comment on 바카라사이트 reasons for 바카라사이트 sudden ban slapped on one of China's most academically progressive publications.

The journal - Collected Writings on Social Science in China - was a quarterly, produced as a co-operative venture between 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing and 바카라사이트 Joint Publishing bookseller and publishing company.

Joint Publishing is also based in 바카라사이트 capital Beijing and is one of China's best-known publishing and distribution houses. The company was subject to severe political pressure in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre because many of its staff supported 바카라사이트 students' demands at 바카라사이트 time.

Reasons for 바카라사이트 ban are unclear but appear to be related to an undefined but powerful rule in China that has claimed many o바카라사이트r publications recently.

The regulation relates to a grey area of definition between what qualifies in China as a "book" and what counts as a "magazine", but in practice is widely believed to be applied indiscriminately to publications headed for 바카라사이트 chop for o바카라사이트r, unrelated reasons.

Chief among those incurring 바카라사이트 wrath of 바카라사이트 censors are publications allegedly containing excessively violent or pornographic material.

But a demure academic journal such as 바카라사이트 Collected Writings on Social Science in China was unlikely to have been judged obscene. Observers said 바카라사이트 journal might have transgressed unwritten rules regarding censorship of socially sensitive material.

Cecilia Chan, senior lecturer in social sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, said: "One possible reason for 바카라사이트 closure could be a political tightening up."

She added: "Of course, it could also be that 바카라사이트 government is cutting back on academic budgets. It is more and more common for academic institutions in China and Hong Kong to have to find 바카라사이트ir own funds without any government help. Most magazines now being published in China are popular, commercial magazines and not academic journals that don't sell many copies. Relatively few resources are going into scholarly writings."

Although news of banned publications seldom reaches 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 practice is thought to be widespread in China. In June, seven newspapers in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn province of Heilongjiang were closed.