How do citizens navigate authoritarian systems? We introduce a novel framework focusing on 'public transcripts' — everyday interactions between ordinary people and political authorities.

### Data & Methods

* Analyzed over eight thousand citizen appeals to local officials in contemporary China.

* Examined communication patterns as strategic performances aimed at state actors.

### Key Findings

* Identified three distinct ideal-type scripts of citizenship:

* Subjecthood: citizens positioning themselves as subordinates seeking benevolent aid.

* Authoritarian Legal Citizenship: appeals leveraging formal legal structures and commitments.

* Socialist Citizenship: strategies invoking officials' moral obligation for collective welfare.

### Why China Matters

* These diverse approaches coexist within a single authoritarian state, challenging simple regime-based categorizations.

* The framework demonstrates that understanding citizenship requires examining how citizens strategically communicate with political elites to elicit assistance.