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 at the University of Bristol Business School, studied independent bookstores in China through over a decade of immersive research. She discusses how these stores define themselves, navigate publishing and stocking challenges, adopt “culturally adapted” business strategies, blend aesthetics and events, diversify revenue, and balance cultural mission with commercial pressures.

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INSIGHT

Independence Means Nonstate And Autonomy

Independent bookstores in China foreground nonstate ownership and operational autonomy as their core identity.
Many self-identified independents include chain stores or corporate-funded outlets that still claim local managerial autonomy and distinct cultural ethos.

INSIGHT

Publishing Depends On State Book Numbers

Chinese publishing mixes trade and academic categories and relies on state publishers for official book numbers.
Private publishers must collaborate with state-owned houses to obtain book numbers (ISBN equivalents) and legally publish books.

INSIGHT

Supply Gaps Push Bookstores To Diversify

Many small independent bookstores struggle to source stock because distribution systems don't efficiently serve tiny shops.
As a result, bookstores diversify into non-book lines (coffee, merchandise) to survive financially.

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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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