She Impacts@CityUHK｜Integrating wisdom from Eastern and Western governance: reshaping contemporary political philosophy
What new governance approaches emerge when the wisdom of Confucianism, emphasising meritocracy and political skills, meets the Western notions of political participation and institutional accountability? Professor Elena Ziliotti, from the Department of Public and International Affairs at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), firmly believes that to find a more comprehensive answer to contemporary governance, it is necessary to integrate the essence of Eastern and Western philosophies. She is dedicated to integrating Confucian thought into Western political theory, exploring how to build good governments that combine leadership qualities with public oversight, and injecting new thinking into the philosophy of governance.
Professor Ziliotti published her academic monograph, Meritocratic Democracy: A Cross-Cultural Political Theory, in 2024, providing new insights into the contemporary governance dilemma. She argues that in recent decades, Western societies have placed excessive trust in political institutions, while neglecting the personal qualities of those in power. While contemporary society, owing to its diverse values, is hesitant to define what constitutes an excellent leader, her research shows that the public often reach a consensus on key leadership qualities, such as the Confucian emphasis on selfless service to the community, referred to as “public-spiritedness”.
She combines Confucian “governance through virtue” (dezhi) with Western “accountability”. Confucianism emphasises talent selection and training to ensure leaders possess both moral integrity and competence, while Western traditions emphasise laws and oversight to prevent the abuse of power. She highlights that even a perfect system will fail if implemented by unethical individuals, so the two approaches should complement each other. This research breaks through the limitations of a single theory, suggesting that society should not only constrain power but also consider who should be entrusted with it.
In her latest research, she proposes a new paradigm of “normative hybridity”. Faced with the impact of Western political thinking, many non-Western societies often fall into a binary dilemma or revert blindly to the past. She advocates breaking down this opposition, flexibly combining the wisdom of various civilisations through conceptual reconstruction and dialogue with tradition, to develop governance solutions that are more suited to the needs of contemporary policymakers.
This vision, which boldly breaks down cultural barriers and advocates for “harmony in diversity”, is deeply rooted in her own profound personal growth. Professor Ziliotti grew up in an ideologically, politically and religiously diverse Italian family, which fostered an environment that embraced differences and encouraged rational dialogue. This environment cultivated her independent thinking and respect for diverse beliefs and laid the foundation for her later efforts to promote dialogue between Eastern and Western philosophies.
With this cross-cultural philosophical pursuit, bringing the theory of in-depth dialogue between Eastern and Western thought to CityUHK was a perfect fit. As the Most International University in the world, CityUHK boasts a first-class international research environment and its Centre for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy (CEACOP) actively promotes intercultural philosophical exchange. Professor Ziliotti participated in her first professional conference at CEACOP as a PhD candidate in 2018. Since joining CityUHK, she has continued to leverage CityUHK’s strengths in integrating Eastern and Western perspectives to expand the horizons of political philosophy.
While cultivating her academic career at CityUHK, Professor Ziliotti deeply appreciates the contributions of fellow practitioners and pioneers. She frankly acknowledges that there are relatively few female role models in the traditional field of political philosophy. Fortunately, she met an important academic mentor during her doctoral studies—Professor Tan Sor-hoon, now a Professor of Philosophy at Singapore Management University. As her mentor, Professor Tan provided meticulous guidance in Professor Ziliotti’s research and proved through her own outstanding achievements that becoming a distinguished philosopher is attainable, inspiring Professor Ziliotti to overcome her doubts and shine brightly on her academic path.
This inspirational power from female scholars is also reflected in her own life. Professor Ziliotti candidly shared that the most unforgettable moment for her was a day in May 2024, when a courier delivered a package containing her first monograph to her door, as she was holding her six-month-old son. In one hand, she cradled a new life in her arms; in the other, years of academic dedication. This achievement, completed amidst a rapidly changing lifestyle, gave her a profound sense of pride in balancing her roles as a scholar and mother.
Professor Ziliotti encourages early-career scholars and female researchers to embrace setbacks as a natural part of academic life. She reminds them that paper rejections and unsuccessful grant applications happen to everyone. Her key advice is to "take these things seriously but not personally". By maintaining a healthy work-life balance and learning from every setback, researchers can build resilience and sustained strength for long-term progress.
About the “She Impacts@CityUHK” Series
CityUHK is committed to attracting outstanding research talent from around the world and actively nurturing the next generation of scholars. Recently, CityUHK's Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) and Communications and Institutional Research Office jointly hosted the “Getting Noticed, Getting Networked” workshop. Esteemed guests, including Professor Dame Madeleine Atkins, Senior Fellow of the HKIAS and President-Emeritus of Lucy Cavendish College at the University of Cambridge, shared valuable experiences of female scholars in research communication, personal branding and professional development.
Championing the spirit of the workshop, this series will introduce outstanding women scholars from CityUHK, showcasing their important role in driving knowledge innovation and social progress through their research stories and academic insights.