May 17, 2010

Xueguang Zhou discusses the political consequences of recent school killings in China

Xueguang Zhou: Details about the school attacks remain to be sorted out — whether they are isolated or copycat acts; whether they are triggered by mental illness or based on some malicious motives. But one thing is clear: these incidents reflect widespread and rapidly rising social anxieties, frustrations and tensions in the Chinese society today.

• » NY Times' Room for Debate: China's school killings and social despair