Abstract:

With the firsthand observations of Yang Boshou’s Workroom of People’s Mediation and other references， the author puts forward the idea that the recent socialization of people’s mediation in Shanghai， in essence， is a reorganization of it. That is to say， professional mediation workrooms are becoming a layer of the semibureaucratic system， and are simultaneously being embedded in the existing mediation networks， and connected to the state’s organizational networks through systematic arrangement. As a result， mediation workrooms have vitalized the state’s regulation resources and improved the effectiveness of people’s mediation. However， it is a paradox that the role of mediation workrooms is becoming increasingly prominent， whereas mediation by residential committees (juweihui) is being marginalized. In fact， “socialization” is a shift in the target for the government to grant its support rather than a shift in the power between the state and society.