Book boom

Science publisher reaches into new areas to take Chinese research and ideas into the world beyond, Mei Jia reports.

Springer, one of the world's largest science publishers, is reaching out for more social, economic and humanities titles in China, believing the country is presenting first-class research in those areas as well as in sciences.

Springer recently announced it would start a new English-language journal, International Communication of Chinese Culture, with Beijing Normal University, its latest move to publish Chinese social sciences books.

The journal will feature original articles about what Chinese culture is, how Chinese culture is communicated globally and cross-culturally, and how audiences in other cultures and territories know about and communicate about Chinese culture, says Niels Thomas, editorial director in Springer's Beijing representative office.

Thomas calls it his mission to bring Chinese research to a global audience.

"Unlike what we thought before actually coming here, there is original and interesting research, even in smaller universities and smaller cities," Thomas says.

"It's a pity those books were not internationally available, though they have the quality and the potential readership," he says.

Thomas says he and his team have seen a massive growth of interest - both from Chinese researchers who want to be published in English, and from scholars outside of China who want to read more about Chinese thought on economic, social and educational issues.

"We are finding a new growth area by satisfying needs both ways, even at a low point of global publishing in print," he says.

Springer so far has commitments from 150 Chinese authors to write on social sciences and business books.

Generally, Springer publishes three types of Chinese research to distribute globally: Chinese phenomena that only Chinese can write good books about, like in the case of China's Energy Economy; the Chinese perspective on global issues; and other books not related to China but that are simply good research, Thomas says.

"The world wants to know about what's going on in China," he says.

For Springer, traditionally strong in science publishing, the Beijing office, which opened in 2005, was first a sales office bringing international scientific knowledge into the country.

"We soon realized that knowledge transfer would be more intelligent if done in mutual ways," Thomas recalls.

The company started to publish Chinese authors in 2010, and more books than journals from that sector.

He Chuanqi is one of the first Chinese authors to be published globally by Springer.

He, director of the China Center for Modernization Research under Chinese Academy of Sciences, published the Chinese version of Modernization Science - the Principles and Methods of National Advancement in 2010.

Starting in 1998, He and his colleagues have been tracking modernization through both scientific and social means. "Springer was interested in the book and reviewed it carefully for six months before publishing the English version," He says.

Thanks to the international acclaim the book brought to the center, He successfully organized the first International Modernization Forum in Beijing in late 2012.

"The book serves as a window for academic exchanges," He says.

Springer believes its network among globally known researchers helps to promote the books and the related research by connecting authors from different countries.

"The strict review process from both Chinese and foreign reviewers shows the value of the books, checks against plagiarism and offers recommendations," Thomas says.

Unlike publishing new authors for popular books in a foreign market, which is relatively difficult, Thomas believes that in social sciences, Chinese authors have the same chance as their peers elsewhere because "every book is unique".

China is also gaining a broader reputation in the sciences and research, he says.

China's social changes in the past decades have enabled universities to benefit from exchanges with the world. "The ripple effect has created new scientific excellence in China," he says.

"It's just a matter of time for a bigger global audience to realize that," he adds.

Noticing Springer's shift of interest, Chinese publishers are being drawn to collaborate on key projects.

Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is working with Springer on publishing the China Academic Library Series written by established authors, such as Li Yi-ning, Yue Daiyun and Tang Yijie.

Wu Hao, director of the press' social science/humanities division, says he finds much in common with Springer from the editorial ideas to the notion of introducing China to the world.

"The series will focus on contemporary interpretations of Chinese classics, together with contemporary works on Chinese society and culture, which Springer is also excited to present," Wu says.

Thomas says one third of Springer's readers are from Europe, one third from the United States, and others from Asia.

"China has brought Chinese ideas to the world, on a bigger scale than anticipated," he says.

Contact the writer at meijia@chinadaily.com.cn.