Understanding the Challenges and Rewards of Social-Ecological Research in China

Abstract

Interest in collaborative research on Chinese social and ecological systems has grown dramatically in recent decades. While international researchers are giving increased attention to China, foreign scholars, especially those new to China, are often unsure of the best way to find collaborators, garner sponsorship, and pursue research goals. Understanding research incentives for Chinese scientists, the culture of relationships, research topic sensitivity, and data access limitations are some of the challenges commonly experienced by foreign scholars in China. In this article we identify potential hurdles and offer remedies when possible so that foreign scholars can more readily adapt to China's scholarly environment and improve the prospect for mutually beneficial collaboration.

Keywords:

• China
• collaboration
• cross-cultural
• interdisciplinary
• international
• research
• sponsorship

Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DGE-0549369 IGERT: Training Program on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Southwest China at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The authors thank reviewers for their insightful comments on earlier drafts of this article.