An Introduction to the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) is a national-level Marxist research institution. It was re-established on December 26, 2005, following approval by the Standing Committee of the CCP Central Committee Political Bureau on May 19, 2005, building upon the foundations of the former Institute of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.
The duties and mandates of this Institute are as follows: to persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance; to continuously and deeply implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, his important speech at the Seminar on Cultural Inheritance and Development, and his numerous congratulatory letters to CASS; to profoundly comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments; to strengthen the Four Consciousnesses [1], remain firm in the Four Confidences [2], and achieve the Two Upholds.
The Institute takes the study, research, interpretation, and propagation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its primary task. Based on the practice of China's socialist reform, opening up, and modernization, and guided by major theoretical and practical issues of concern to the Party, the state, and the people, the Institute conducts comprehensive and in-depth research into: classic Marxist works and basic principles; the history of Marxist development; Sinicized Marxism—Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; the historical evolution and fundamental experiences of the international communist movement; contemporary world socialist movements and trends of thought; and foreign Marxism.
The Institute organically integrates Marxist academic research, theoretical propagation, and practical application. It carries out extensive exchanges and cooperation with domestic and foreign counterparts, actively provides policy advice and suggestions, and serves the cause of socialism in China and the world. It strives to "stand at the forefront of the times, understand the changes of past and present, and give voice to thought" [3], while better fulfilling the "Three Positions" [4] responsibilities of CASS. It aims to accelerate the construction of Chinese-path philosophy and social sciences disciplinary systems, academic systems, discourse systems, and autonomous knowledge systems; to allow Chinese scholarship to flourish, develop Chinese theory, and spread Chinese thought; to develop contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; and to make greater contributions to the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country and the comprehensive advancement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The Institute comprises five research departments: the Department of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Department of Marxist Principles, the Department of the Sinicization of Marxism, the Department of the International Communist Movement, and the Department of Foreign Marxism.
It includes 19 research offices: Basic Theory; Basic Strategy; Party Building and Party History; Ideology and Social Trends; Clean Government Construction and Social Evaluation; Marxist Philosophy; Marxist Political Economy; Scientific Socialism; History of Marxist Development; Mao Zedong Thought; Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics; Ideological and Political Education; Marxist Atheism; History of the International Communist Movement; Contemporary World Socialism; Contemporary World Capitalism; Foreign Left-wing Thought; Theory of Foreign Communist Parties; and Western Marxism.
There is one operational department: the Information, Network, and Materials Room; and five administrative departments: the General Office, the Research Administration Office, the Personnel Office, the "Three Offices" Comprehensive Coordination Office [5], and the Secretariat of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Current publications and websites include: Marxist Studies, World Socialism Studies (public and internal editions), Science and Atheism, International Critical Thought (English), World Review of Political Economy (English), Marxist Digest, Yearbook of Marxist Theoretical Research and Discipline Construction, Dynamics of World Socialism Research, New Era, and the Marxist Studies website.
The Institute is one of the supporting units for the CASS Division of Marxist Studies. It is the main supporting unit for the professional think tanks of CASS, including the Think Tank for Marxist Theoretical Innovation, the Ideology Think Tank, and the Think Tank for the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought. It is responsible for managing four national academic societies: the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism, the Chinese Association for Political Economy, the Chinese Society for the History of Foreign Economic Doctrines, and the Chinese Atheism Society. It also manages four non-entity research centers: the CASS Research Center for Contemporary Theoretical Trends, the CASS Research Center for Marxist Economic and Social Development, the CASS Research Center for Science and Atheism, and the CASS Research Center for National Cultural Security and Ideological Construction.
The CASS Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, the World Socialism Research Center, the CASS Office for the Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project (Ma-Gong-Cheng) [6], and the Office of the Ideological and Theoretical Writing Group are also located within the Institute.
Current Leadership: Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Institute of Marxism Studies; Cui Weihang, Director and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; Chen Zhigang, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee and Deputy Director; Yu Haiqing, Deputy Director.
The Institute currently has 119 professional and technical personnel (including those with qualifying status) and 14 administrative staff. Among the professional and technical staff, 29 hold senior professional titles, 38 hold associate senior titles, 51 are intermediate level, and 1 is junior level. There are 107 staff members with doctoral degrees and 12 with master's degrees. Within the Institute, 17 individuals receive the State Council Government Special Allowance; several scholars have been honored as National Young and Middle-Aged Experts with Outstanding Contributions, National "Million Talent Project" experts, "Four Groups" talents, and leading talents of the National "Ten Thousand Talents Program." Many serve as chief experts and lead experts for the Central Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project.
Scholars at the Institute have frequently been awarded major projects and special commissioned projects from the National Social Science Fund (Central Ma-Gong-Cheng), with several individuals receiving annual projects from the National Social Science Fund each year. Additionally, they have received numerous major CASS projects, major national condition investigation projects, and base projects. At the same time, the Institute undertakes various tasks assigned by the Central Committee and CASS annually.
The Institute is the lead cooperative unit for the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS); Xin Xiangyang and Lin Jianhua serve as the Dean and Vice Dean of the school, respectively. The School of Marxism at UCASS is one of the first 12 integrated undergraduate-master-doctorate "research-education fusion" schools at the university, undertaking the important task of cultivating professional talents in Marxist theory. The school enrolls undergraduates in two majors: Marxist Theory and Ideological and Political Education. It enrolls graduate students in disciplines including Basic Principles of Marxism, History of Marxist Development, Sinicization of Marxism, Scientific Socialism and the International Communist Movement, Foreign Marxist Research, Ideological and Political Education, Party Building, China Studies, and Literary Hermeneutics. Forty-nine scholars from the Institute serve as graduate supervisors at the school, including 21 doctoral supervisors and 28 master's supervisors. Currently, the school has 172 undergraduate students, 86 master's students, and 74 doctoral students.
The Institute has a post-doctoral research station for Marxist Theory, recruiting post-doctoral fellows in disciplines such as Basic Principles of Marxism, History of Marxist Development, Sinicization of Marxism, Scientific Socialism and the International Communist Movement, Foreign Marxist Research, Ideological and Political Education, and Party Building. It also recruits senior visiting scholars. There are currently 10 post-doctoral fellows and 22 visiting scholars at the Institute.
Address: 5 Jianguomen Nei Avenue, Beijing Postal Code: 100732 Websites: marxism.cass.cn / myy.cssn.cn