This article tries to map the state of civic engagement in social governance at local level in China. Using case studies in Hangzhou, we find that civic engagement in China has not increased responsiveness to citizens’ appeals as predicted in democracy theories. In contrast, civic engagement degrades to a powerful tool for the government to rule the people, which we call the “alienation of civic engagement.” Institutional Isomorphism theory is evoked to explain this phenomenon. Based on the strength of regime stability and responsiveness to citizens’ appeals, civic engagement is categorized into four types: ceremonial civic engagement, substantial civic engagement, absorptive civic engagement, and propagandistic civic engagement. We show the discourses, participation behaviors, and participation outcomes of each type of civic engagement. We also demonstrate how the authoritarian government developed strategies for each type of civic engagement.

Joint actions of social organizations have been frequently seen and continuously optimized since the outbreak of the COVID-19. This article is aimed to identify and explore the typical forms and development trends of collaborative networks of social organizations. Given the case studies on joint actions of social organizations, it builds an analysis framework based on actor-network theory (ANT). Research findings are as follows. First, there are, among social organizations in their joint actions against COVID-19, “loose”, “vertical”, “decentralized” and other typical forms of collaborative network, with “decentralized” collaboration showing quite a high degree of initiative. Second, “complex needs” and “political opportunities” that emerge in times of emergency response, “social entrepreneurship” and “bridging connective social capital” that accumulate in normal times, among other factors, have combined to drive vertical collaborative networks towards decentralization. The above three forms of collaboration, each with irreplaceable functions, together comprise an ecosystem of joint actions of social organizations. This article calls the landscape of dynamic practice of joint actions of social organizations a “ladder of collaboration”.