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Abstract

Conjunctural analysis makes an important addition to the conceptual toolbox for understanding the con- tours of China’s (capitalist) regional economies. In this commentary, we concur with Peck’s suggestion that the conjunctural approach can animate economic geography’s engagement with ‘thick’ theorization with- out foregoing context-rich inquiry. However, we also emphasize Stuart Hall’s commitment to counter- hegemonic politics and his use of the conjunctural approach to explore – and ultimately facilitate – histor- ical breaks in social structures of dominance. Through a brief exploration of ways of engaging the region in China area studies and Chinese geography, we discuss how the conjunctural approach can be mobilized to (re)politicize geographies of regional development.