This introductory essay highlights the changing foci of labor scholarship during five distinct periods in the evolution of Chinese industrial relations. In so doing, the author argues that labor scholarship has oscillated between pessimistic and optimistic views regarding whether a labor movement is forming in China. The three articles brought together in this special section focus on the key themes of labor activism, collective bargaining, and the role of labor NGOs during a single period, 2006 to 2015. Together, the articles evidence optimism about the future of labor voice in China. This essay, however, suggests that the post-2015 period has been marked by changes in state policy that are having a chilling effect on labor voice and labor scholarship.
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