New Books in Economic and Business History

Zheng Liu, "Cultural Mavericks: The Business and Politics of Independent Bookselling in China" (Columbia UP, 2026)

Mar 28, 2026

Zheng Liu, cultural and economic sociologist and lecturer in innovation management, explains how independent bookstores in China craft identities between commerce and intellectual autonomy. She discusses their emergence, supply and profit challenges, three "culturally adapted" strategies, store aesthetics, diversification into cafes and merchandise, and the role of subsidies and investors.

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INSIGHT

How China’s Publishing Structure Shapes Bookselling

China’s publishing system mixes state-owned publishers with private companies that lack official book numbers and thus partner with state houses.
Private publishers must collaborate with state publishers to obtain official book numbers to legally publish books.

INSIGHT

Supply Constraints Drive Diversification

Many small independent bookstores struggle to source stock because suppliers and distributors poorly serve tiny retailers.
This supply constraint pushes stores to diversify into non-book lines to survive financially.

INSIGHT

What ‘Independent’ Means In China

Chinese independent bookstores are defined by three elements: non-state ownership, operational autonomy, and a distinct cultural ethos.
Chains can still claim independent identity if they are non-state and grant local managers autonomy and cultural character.

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In recent decades, self-proclaimed “independent bookstores” have arisen across China. In the West, such retailers represent an alternative to corporations and chains. In China, by contrast, they differentiate themselves from not only the state-owned Xinhua Bookstore but also other privately owned shops through an emphasis on intellectual independence and the free exchange of ideas.

Cultural Mavericks: The Business and Politics of Independent Bookselling in China (Columbia UP, 2026) by Dr. Zheng Liu takes readers inside the world of independent bookselling in China, showing how a wide range of figures navigate the challenges of book retailing in the digital age amid rapidly shifting social, political, and economic dynamics. Drawing on more than a decade of immersive research—including interviews, observations, and extensive documentary analysis—Dr. Liu unveils how these bookstores carve out a unique identity and market position. She develops the concept of “culturally adapted strategy” to explain how independent bookstores—as both dedicated cultural institutions and resilient business enterprises—balance economic imperatives with a deep commitment to intellectual autonomy. Dr. Liu challenges the tendency to understand nonstate cultural institutions in China in terms of resistance, arguing that independent bookstores engage with politics as a strategic means of differentiation from the competition.

Richly detailed and compellingly written, Cultural Mavericks sheds new light on the interplay among culture, commerce, and politics in China, offering timely insights into the evolving dynamics of China’s book industry and wider cultural economy.

This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.

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