Compromise, Contestation, and Continuity

: A Cultural Political Economy Analysis of Confucius Institutes in England

Abstract

Research on Confucius Institutes (CIs) has often focused on their role as tools of Chinese cultural diplomacy and extensions of national soft power, but few studies have provided systematic, mechanism-based explanations of how their operational practices emerge and adapt within specific institutional and political contexts. This study adopts a Critical Realism (CR) perspective to explore the underlying causal mechanisms shaping the manifestation of Confucius Institutes in England. By combining the layered ontology of CR with the analytical concepts of Cultural Political Economy (CPE), this study attempts to construct a multi-layered theoretical framework to identify the semiotic and extra-semiotic forces influencing the local operations of CIs in England.
Empirical data were collected from policy documents, media reports, the official websites of 21 Confucius Institutes in England, and fieldwork conducted at 4 cases, including 2 on-site observations and 15 semi-structured interviews with Chinese and British directors, Chinese language teachers, and administrative staff. The theoretical framework views CI operations in England as the outcome of interactions between discourse, structural constraints, and the agency of actors who mediate and adapt practices locally. Through retroductive analysis, findings indicate that the continued operation of CIs in England is supported by three mutually reinforcing yet constraining clusters of generative mechanisms: (i) discursive constraint and structural dependence; (ii) asymmetrical power and situated agency; and (iii) cultural conflict and economic demand. These clusters interact to produce a fragile yet enduring operational status quo. External reputation crisis and path dependency on China have reinforced the CI's governance structure and internal power asymmetries, prompting Chinese actors to adopt pragmatic and at times evasive development strategies, while British actors have continuously strengthened their influence over CI strategic decision-making thanks to their key node position. Value differences further complicate CI cooperation locally, as the Chinese and British sides operate within different ideological and cultural frameworks. In this process, individual agency and economic demand play a balancing role in maintaining the continuity of CIs. However, this continuity does not signify stability, but rather a form of survival achieved through ongoing compromise and adjustment.
By revealing the underlying mechanisms that sustain CIs, this study offers a more nuanced understanding of how these international educational institutions adapt to local settings while navigating discursive tensions and structural limitations and provides a new analytical perspective for examining how global governance initiatives are reshaped and negotiated within specific institutional and cultural contexts.

Date of Award	9 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Matt A Kedzierski (Supervisor) & Robert Sharples (Supervisor)