Peter R. Moody
Professor of Political Science
University of Notre Dame

 

Brief Biography
Peter Moody is Professor of Political Science, Emeritus at The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Moody specializes in Chinese politics. His more recent books include Conservative Thought in Contemporary China (2007), Tradition and Modernization in China and Japan (1994), Political Change in Taiwan (1991) and Political Opposition in Post-Confucian Society (1988). He is editor of China Documents Annual and book review editor of The Review of Politics. He has written on Chinese politics, Asian international affairs, Chinese political thought, international relations theory, and theory of political parties.

Most Recent Book

Conservative Thought in Contemporary China examines the evolution of conservative politics in China, which has become increasingly present following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976. Peter Moody traces the roots of conservatism through the imperial system, the Republican period, and the pre-Cultural Revolution People's Republic, all of which influence contemporary Chinese politics. The most direct programmatic form of conservativism has been neoconservative politics, which was formed during the Jiang Zemin regime and persists to the present day in a diluted version.

The book demonstrates that conservative thought is a consequence of relatively broad cultural and economic liberty, China's resentment of American arrogance, and a fear of the social turmoil generated as a byproduct of liberal economic reforms. Moody critically analyzes the influence of antipolitics and traditional values on the current ideology of Chinese politicians and citizens. Conservative Thought in Contemporary China is an insightful text that will captivate those interested in Chinese studies and political theory.

 

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