Comparative Study On Mapping Knowledge Domain Of Research Of American And Chinese Politics From 2008 To 2013

Both American politics and Chinese politics have undergone a special period of development from 2008 to 2013. American politics suffered an unprecedented challenge, while Chinese politics experienced transformation. However, what were the major studies of American and Chinese politics during this period? What was their research background? How could we summarize the disciplinary development from the existing research? In order to make a scientific and correct conclusion, we have chosen top political journals as the research subjects, and have conducted analysis by mapping knowledge domains from cross-sectional and time-series dimensions. Results show dissimilarities over similarities during this period between American political studies and Chinese political studies.Through visual analysis and multivariate statistical analysis, we have found several similarities and dissimilarities. Firstly, the participating institutions and the journal authors in these 2008-2013 studies were all from colleges and universities. However, there were more studies of American politics during this period than the studies of Chinese politics; there were studies from 39 countries on American politics as the research object, while there were studies from only 14 countries on Chinese politics. Secondly, in terms of research objects, the studies of American politics focused on domestic politics, while the studies of Chinese politics included both domestic and international politics during this period. Thirdly, as for the research contents, there were significant dissimilarities between American political studies and Chinese political studies because of the different pools of research objects and their distinct political lives, when most of these 2008-2013 studies simply generalized the political lives of the objects. Fourthly, the value orientations of American political studies were mainly racism and feminism, while the value orientations of Chinese political studies were peace and democracy. Fifthly, in respect of research methods, American political studies preferred quantitative methods than qualitative methods, but Chinese political studies laid more emphasis on qualitative methods.Through citation analysis and time-series analysis, we have found that American political studies pursued diversification, while Chinese political studies experienced a development in localization of studies during this period. Through factors analysis, cluster analysis, MDS and strategic diagram analysis of the future development of political studies, we have found that American political studies will concentrate on institutionalism-related research, while Chinese political studies will concentrate on global crisis governance.Furthermore, the interactions of several surface, sub-surface and underlying reasons led to significant dissimilarities between American political studies and Chinese political studies during this period, and these would continue to drive the dissimilarities in the future development of American and Chinese political studies.On the surface, the dissimilarities were caused by different political lives between the two countries, due to a significant gap between American and Chinese political lives during this period, which in turn exerted significant effect on current and future political research.At the sub-surface level, the dissimilarities were caused by different academic development disciplines. American political studies and Chinese political studies had evolved for decades or even centuries, following their unique set of academic disciplines, which would continue to evolve in their own paths in the future.At the underlying level, the dissimilarities were the result of differences in political, economic, social and cultural environments. America was a superpower and the economic powerhouse of the world, and China was a political power but a developing country. Moreover, America was a capitalist country, while China was socialist country. In addition, America advocated freedom and democracy, whereas Confucius values and Marx’s republicanism exerted deep influences in China.In conclusion, by analyzing and comparing the development between American political studies and Chinese political studies, our view is that Chinese political studies should continue on the journey of localization on the one hand, but should on the other hand learn from the experience of development of American political studies in enriching the research contents and methods, so as to create the prosperity of Chinese politics.