Collaborative Program in Chinese Studies
Third Student Undergraduate Research Conference on Chinese Studies - Atlanta, April 8-9, 2010
The third ACS Student Research Conference on Chinese Studies will be held on April 8-9, 2011 in Atlanta. Undergraduate students will have the opportunity to present their original research on China and Chinese studies at the conference. In the past, prominent keynote speakers have engaged and inspired students. Thanks to the Henry Luce Foundation, funding will be provided for two students from each ACS institution.
Interested students should contact the Chinese faculty or the Chinese program coordinator on the campuses. Selected students will need to submit an abstract of 500 words or less describing their paper. The conference will consist of plenary sections and panel discussions. Conference participants must indicate their preference for an oral or poster presentation when they register. For further information, please contact Jinping Zhu at jzhu@colleges.org
Third Faculty Conference on Chinese Studies, Rollins College, October 15-17, 2010
Thirty-four faculty members from 12 ACS institutions met at Rollins College in Florida for the third ACS Faculty Conference on Chinese Studies, Thoughts and Practice in Chinese Studies, October 15-16, 2010. They shared information about program structure, pedagogy, curriculum and program development, application of technology and China and the environment. The group also explored best practices and strategies that enhance interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration.
The keynote speaker for the Conference was Arthur Sze, a professor emeritus at the Institute of American Indian Arts who was the first poet laureate of Santa Fe. Educated at the University of California, Berkeley, Sze is the author of eight books of poetry, including The Ginkgo Light (2009), Quipu (2005), The Redshifting Web: Poems 1970-1998 (1998), and Archipelago (1995). He also wrote The Silk Dragon: Translations from the Chinese in 2001 and recently edited Chinese Writers on Writing (Trinity University Press, 2010). His own poems have appeared in numerous publications. About his work, the poet Jackson Mac Low has said, “The word ‘compassion’ is much overused—‘clarity’ less so—but Arthur Sze is truly a poet of clarity and compassion.”
The topic of his keynote speech was “The Zigzag Way: Continuity and Innovation in Chinese Poetry.” He described continuity and innovation in Chinese poetry as a zigzag way through time. He discussed classical Chinese poetry, including translations of poems by Tao Qian, Wang Wei, Li Bai, Du Fu, Li Qingzhao and Ma Zhiyuan. He also discussed the emergence of modern Chinese poetry and included excerpts of essays as well as translations by Misty and post-Misty poets, including Bei Dao, Gu Cheng, Zhai Yongming, Yu Jian, Yang Lian and Xi Chuan. Finally, he closed with a poem of his own, “Pig’s Heaven Inn,” written after the Yellow Mountain Poetry Festival in 2007. Faculty actively engaged in the discussion that followed his address.
On Saturday, October 16, faculty from different ACS institutions presented and shared details on various activities on their campuses. For instance, professor Hongchu Fu of Washington and Lee University talked about structure, pedagogy and program development on his campus. He reported on the rapid increase of students in Chinese classes: from 15 students in 2002 to 60 students in 2010. To increase students’ interest and raise program visibility on campus, he introduced various events including a Mid-autumn celebration, a Chinese New Year party, a taste of Asia attraction and theatrical performances.
Professor Shufen Yang of Morehouse College described remarkable progress in the Chinese program and study
abroad at Morehouse College. Her success has attracted the attention of the U.S. State Department, which may offer an opportunity for Morehouse College students to meet with senior leaders from China. Professor Harry Kuoshu of Furman University focused on a cross-cultural sustainability outlook developed on his campus. He pointed out that“without cultural self-understanding, it is impossible to understand cultural rights as a part of basic human rights, human development and quality of life; without cultural self-understanding, the big idea of sustainability is inaccessible to interpretation and utterly lost.”
The conference concluded with a list of collaborative endeavors that the participants wish to initiate.
- Agenda (PDF)
Second Student Research Conference on Chinese Studies, Atlanta, Georgia, April 16-18, 2010
The second ACS Student Research Conference on Chinese Studies was held on April 16-18, 2010 in Atlanta. The Conference was dedicated to promoting undergraduate research and scholarship in all disciplines of Chinese Studies,
including Chinese history, culture, language, environment, economics, society, science, government, literature and religion.
The keynote speaker was Professor Ilan Alon, Rollins College’s Cornell Chair of International Business and Director of The China Center, and Harvard Kennedy School’s Visiting Scholar and Asia Fellow. He is the Senior Editor of the “Asia Pacific Journal of Management,” editor of “AIB Insights,” and on the advisory boards of numerous international journals. His recent books on China include: Biographical Dictionary of New Chinese Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009) (http://tars.rollins.edu/olin/archives/alon/book.htm), China Rules (Palgrave MacMillan, 2009) (www.chinarules.org), and The Globalization of Chinese Enterprises (Palgrave MacMillan, 2008). Representing eight ACS institutions, 24 students made presentations at the Conference. Seven ACS faculty representing six institutions were also present, serving as panel chairs and discussants.
The conference format consisted of discipline-specific roundtable discussions where four students in each panel presented their papers. Students had 15 minutes to present their papers and five minutes to answer questions. At the conclusion of the conference, all students received a certificate as a research scholar. The top two writers were awarded $100 gift cards for use at Barnes and Noble. The recipients were Jasmine Shaw from Spelman College and Karim Kajani from Furman University. Jasmine’s paper focused on an analysis of Shanghai’s Disney potential and Karim’s on a water transfer project to carry abundant water resources from the South to the North in China.
The annual conference aims to create a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student research in Chinese Studies. The opportunity for undergraduates to participate in such a conference is viewed as an added value to their overall education experience and their process of self-discovery.
Second ACS Faculty Conference on Chinese Studies, Spelman College, October 16-17, 2009
The consortial program committee planned a second ACS Faculty Conference, which took place in October 16-17, 2009 at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. A number of important topics were on the agenda. Following its usual pattern, the conference featured sharing of information on individual programs, demonstration of technology in the classroom, and exploration of further collaborative efforts. Specific items on the agenda included study away programs, opportunities for faculty development and research, and strengthening the curriculum and pedagogy as well as application of technology.
Thanks to the Henry Luce Foundation, funding were provided for two faculty members from each ACS institution. Other faculty were invited to attend at institutional expense.
1st ACS Student Research Conference on Chinese Studies, Morehouse College, April 17-18, 2009
ACS organized its first Student Research Conference on Chinese Studies, which took place at Morehouse College, April 17-18, 2009. The conference showcased original research on a variety of topics related to Chinese studies by undergraduate students. Grant funds were available for two students from each ACS institution. Students were invited to submit an abstract of 500 words or less. A prize for the best full paper was awarded at the end of conference.
Chinese Studies Faculty Conference,
Washington and Lee University, October 17-18, 2008 |
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The consortial program committee for China held its first faculty conference at Washington and Lee University on October 17-18, 2008. ACS faculty teaching Chinese language and other facets of China were invited to attend. The conference included a focus on integrating Chinese Studies into the curriculum, with attention given to institutions that do not have active programs in Chinese Studies as well as institutions that have advanced and extensive programs. Separate sessions were available for language and non-language faculty. Another focal point was new and emerging technologies, and how they could be applied to the teaching of Chinese language and culture. Thanks to the Henry Luce Foundation, funding were provided for two faculty members from each ACS institution. Other faculty were invited to attend at institutional expense. Agenda (PDF) |
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