Philip C. C. Huang’s Explorations in the Social Science of Practice*

Abstract

Over the course of six decades of scholarly exploration, Philip C. C. Huang has conducted in-depth research on Chinese history and contemporary society and published fifteen monographs based on his findings. His work covers the late imperial, modern, and contemporary periods and spans a wide range of topics, including the peasant economy, the law and the justice system, the informal economy, and state governance. Huang’s academic thought, theoretical perspectives, and research methodologies are systematically presented in these fifteen monographs. His most significant theoretical contribution lies in his understanding of “practice” as the dualistic interaction and unification of the subjective and objective, through which he has constructed a methodological framework for the “social science of practice.” This innovation not only provides important methodological guidance for building China’s independent knowledge system, but also introduces new academic paradigms and theoretical pathways for the global study of Chinese issues.