Over the past three decades, the idea of Ecological Civilization has moved from philosophical and cultural discourse into public policy, education, and civic imagination across China. This Forum traces that longer arc—how a “civilizational” framing of ecology took root, what currents of thought and practice helped it spread, and what we can learn from its evolution in a rapidly modernizing society.
Featuring Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan—co-leaders of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China and long-time contributors to the Center for Process Studies’ China Project—the conversation offers an inside view of the relationships, experiments, and ideas that have shaped Ecological Civilization in China over time.
In dialogue with Stephen Posner and Mary Evelyn Tucker, we’ll explore questions such as:
- What were the early intellectual and moral foundations of Ecological Civilization—and how have they changed?
- Where have policy, culture, and grassroots practice genuinely reinforced one another, and where have they conflicted?
- How has “tradition” been mobilized (wisely or simplistically) in the context of modernization?
- What aspects of China’s Ecological Civilization journey might be transferable elsewhere, and what is deeply place-specific?
This Forum is well-suited for participants interested in the long view: the deeper story behind the headlines, and the ongoing work of shaping ecological futures through culture, ethics, and systems change.
This event will be held online via Zoom at 7:00pm Eastern on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Click here to find out more.
