Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Where Do We Go From Here?

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

With just three weeks until president-elect Ma Ying-jeou’s inauguration, many Taiwanese and their friends and relatives abroad are experiencing a sense of optimism, perhaps best expressed in the frequent utterances of the phrase mashang jiuhao 馬上就好, which can mean either “Everything will ready right away” or “Things will get better as soon as Ma takes power”. At the same time, however, there is also a growing sense of trepidation about some of the challenges facing the in-coming Ma administration:

1. To begin with, much of Taiwan’s non-Mainlander population has yet to be convinced that the new administration will be sensitive …

In Case You Missed It: The China Fantasy, Kate Merkel-Hess

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Though published last year, James Mann’s The China Fantasy takes on renewed relevance in light of the recent Tibetan riots and various responses to them. In this little book (just about 120 pages), Mann argues that the grab bag of American policymakers, business leaders, and academics he calls the “China elites” have convinced Americans that more trade will lead to more freedom in China. Mann asserts that this vision, which he calls the “Soothing Scenario,” has led the United States to overlook human rights abuses it would not otherwise.

Mann is certainly correct in pointing out that the belief that …

Every Child Left Behind, Sam Bremen

Whittier Scholars Program

This project provides historical context of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which focuses on primarily literary and mathematical classes. This study will demonstrate how a traditional education curriculum through the thinking processes and projects required of the arts can foster creative thinking for preschool aged children. This study discusses the importance and impact creative classes have and also includes a lesson plan revolving around different subjects while using creative applications. This project also includes a personal journal detailing experience and goals with educating. At the end of the project are various chapters of literature supporting the arts as …

Growing Up Han: Reflections On A Xinjiang Childhood, Timothy B. Weston

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

The US media rarely covers the regular people who are living in the areas of China with large ethnic minorities. In chatting with a Han Chinese student (Han Chinese are by far the largest ethnic group in China) at the University of Colorado named Leong, I was struck by his nuanced perspective on his experiences growing up in Xinjiang, a province in western China with large populations of Hui (ethnically Chinese Muslims), Uighers (Turkic Muslims), and other ethnic minorities. Given the recent discussions in the Western media—in light of the situation in Tibet—of Chinese policies toward ethnic minorities, I thought …

Follow The Bouncing Torch

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

It can become numbing to try to keep up with all the stories about the torch and keep track of where exactly it has been and is going next. Still, it remains fascinating to see how the response to it have varied from place to place. Plus there are some intriguing locales such as Pyongyang are on the horizon. Fortunately, for those who want a quick visual reminder of what’s happened so far, as well as a guide to where the flame is headed, there’s a handy interactive map in the Financial Times.

With a name like the FT’s, clever …

Five Sites For Lesson Plans And Teaching Materials On China

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Many of us who write for China Beat are also teachers. There are multiple web resources that we use, recommend, and, in some cases, have even contributed to. If you teach about China, or are interested in learning more about how Chinese history is being taught in the United States, take a look at these innovative websites and programs.

1. Asia for Educators: Based at Columbia University, this website provides a variety of background information for educators on Asia history topics like the Song Dynasty, China and Europe comparisons, Chinese religion, and the Mongols. The website includes images, literature selections, …

National Geographic On China

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

The current issue of National Geographic focuses on China. The photos, in the magazine’s style, are stunning, but the magazine also features pieces by a noted batch of China writers, including two pieces by Peter Hessler (on migration and economic change), Leslie Chang (on the lives of the children of China’s growing middle class), Amy Tan (on village life and traditional singing in Dimen, Guizhou), Ted Fishman (on Beijing’s Olympic construction), and Brook Larmer (on Yellow River pollution). See more at the National Geographic website.

A Weekend Chockfull Of Interesting China Events, Jeff Wasserstrom

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Seeking enlightenment on China’s increasing enmeshment in the wider world, trends in Chinese media, human right issues, Chinese films, or the complexities of defining the “Han” ethnicity? If you are, and you happen to be in New York City, Los Angeles, Stanford, or Irvine, California, between April 24 and 27 and have some time to kill, you are in luck. There’ll be an event going on that can answer your questions—or at least give you novel food for thought. And some will include presentations by people who’ve either posted to this blog in the past (yours truly, Tom Mullaney, and …

It’S Not Just 8/8/08: A Year Of Chinese Anniversaries, Kenneth Pomeranz

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

One thousand years ago (1008 C.E.) The Song Emperor, the goddess of Mt. Tai, and transformations of Chinese religion:

I’ve been waiting awhile to post another “round number anniversary” piece, figuring I’d let discussions of Tibet take precedence while it remains in the news – but it looks like that could be a long while. Meanwhile, choosing this anniversary may be a bit self-indulgent, since I’ve been writing about this goddess off and on for years – but bear with me.

The story starts when Song Zhenzong, the not-very-successful emperor (r. 998-1023), claimed that he had received a Heavenly Letter, …

More Tibet Reading

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

It has been a few weeks since we last posted an installment of recommended reading on the situation in Tibet and neighboring provinces. Here are a few of the interesting or informative things we’ve run across in that time:

1. Historian James Millward’s piece at openDemocracy on how China could right its worldwide public image is insightful–we urge you to read it.

2. A recent (often heated) discussion on the Asian history listserv, H-asia, centered around China’s historical role in Tibet–reflecting questions that have been important in the popular discussions of Tibet as well. For example, Tibet specialist Elliott Sperling …

Frivolous Friday: Remembering The Tokyo Olympics

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

This video of the opening ceremony for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games (mislabelled as the winter Olympics at Youtube) seems like an example of how China would like this summer’s games to be remembered.

Branding Through The Romantic Rural

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

The following ad for GE, featuring a short love story set in rural China, has been running in the United States. The ad’s soundtrack is the song “In Summer” by Cao Fang (you can hear the complete song here).

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 48, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. Articles:

• Siders, Neil. Student Government Association Bill Pushes for Free Music – Ruckus
• Coulter, Amber. No Horsing Around: Pre-Veterinary Students – Agriculture, Jenks Britt
• Day, Michelle. Students May Suffer from Federal Loan Cuts – Student Financial Aid
• Ryan, Eileen. Barak Obama Campaign Opens Local Office – Elections
• Powers, Mary. A Thousand Words – Ting Ting Zhao, Yu-Pin Cheng, Po-Chien Cheng, International Students
• Chester L. Davis, Former Professor Dies at 84
• Student Charged with Indecent Exposure – Marreon Allen
• Assault Reported in Cravens Library – Addison James, William Pape
• Rowell, …

Lust, Camera, Action: How Ang Lee’S Risqué Thriller Charts A Profitable New Course For Transnational Cinema, Matthew Johnson

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Was it real? While anticipation for the release of Lust, Caution built, one perennial question followed director Ang Lee’s most recent feature: were the sex acts performed by its two stars, Tony Leung and Tang Wei, simulated or full? The parties involved played coy. Lee himself spoke sparingly of the closed sets and skeleton film crew used to film these scenes. While he would later lament the ceaseless focus on his film’s erotic content, however, Lee could hardly be disappointed with the outcome. Lust, Caution reveled in its superstar cast, splashy publicity, and arresting imagery. Released in both edited and …

Report From The Road: Aas Meeting, 2008

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

As our regular readers will have noticed, China Beat has been unusually quiet of late. This is mainly because we were out of range of the internet two weeks ago to attend the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia (and in recovery from the conference hubbub the following week). The AAS is primarily composed of scholars but is also open to those in other fields who study and think about Asia; it has about 7,000 members, with a few thousand in attendance at this conference.

We took advantage of the largest gathering of China Beat contributors …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 46, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. Articles:

• Ulber, Emily. Western Wins ONE Campus Challenge – Poverty
• Siders, Neil. Elected Executives Plan Student Government Association Changes
• Wilson, Laurel. Mayoral Candidates Prepare for Primary – Brian Strow, Elaine Walker, Jerry Wells
• Morgan, Nathan. A Thousand Words – Zheng Wang, Tieda Sun, Tai Chi, International Students
• Hunton, Ryan. Gatton Academy of Math & Science Selects Students for Class of 2010
• Rowell, Larry. Family of Slain Boy to Gather at Justice Center – Eros Berisaj, Shootings, Protests
• Redmon, Austin. Barak Obama: A New Vision for America – Elections
• Erskine, …

Predictions And Timing In An Olympic Year

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Let’s pretend that, twelve months ago, someone had put me in a room with 20 or so other China specialists, handed us each four slips of paper, and asked us to write on each piece a story with a Chinese theme that we predicted would make headlines in 2008, the year when the Beijing Olympics will start on August 8. It’s quite possible that the following would have happened:

1) One or more of us would have written that a headline-grabbing protest would break out. And going into more detail, some of those who made that forecast would have added …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 83, No. 45, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. Articles:

• Day, Michelle. Western Relieved by Budget
• Hale, Marianne. Four Vetoed Projects Restored – Van Meter Hall, Preston Health & Activities Center, Ivan Wilson Hall, Parking Lots
• Robinson, Andrew. A Golden Opportunity – Ken McDonald, Basketball
• Rowell, Larry. Local Family Reels After Son, 15 Is Slain - Eros Berisaj, Shootings
• Rowell, Larry. Western Student Charged with Arson – Jordan Burchel
• Ulber, Emily. Western Seeks to Ease Stress of Transfer Students – 2+2 Program, Computer Science
• Day, Michelle. Board of Regents Approves New Graduate Certificate – English as Second Language, …

Tibet, 228, And Ta-Pa-Ni: Some Lessons For Us All

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

As we struggle to make sense of the maelstrom of violent resistance and its suppression, not to mention cope with our own feelings as concerned observers, it might be useful to consider the following:

*Such outbreaks are invariably sparked by a complex combination of socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious factors.

*The violence is never a case of black and white; it is simply red, with aggressors and their victims far outnumbering any heroes. When tensions boil over, the initial targets tend to be symbols of authority (policemen, officials), but can also include men and women who are stigmatized and persecuted as …

A Domestic Pas De Deux: The Rise Of The Muslim Brotherhood And Islamist-Regime Relations In Jordan, Simon Shogry

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

During the first three decades of the Jordanian kingdom’s existence, the Muslim Brotherhood was a relatively apolitical charity organization that held a handful of seats in Parliament. From the mid-1970s onward, however, the Brotherhood grew substantially in size and influence, so much so that it is now the largest and most broad-based political party in Jordan. Looking at domestic, regional, economic, social, political and theological factors, this study seeks to explain the Brotherhood’s dramatic political ascendance and, also, how the regime has coped with its rise. A holistic explanation of this phenomenon is the study’s modus operandi. In order to …

“Multi-Track Diplomacy” Through Enhancing Interreligious Understanding: A Case Study In Abrahamic Trialogue Between Jordanian And American Students, Nick Doctor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Interfaith dialogue has become widely acknowledged as a means to enhance interreligious and intercultural sensitivity, complement state-based diplomatic efforts, and attain sustainable conflict resolution. This study is aimed at examining the potential of Multi-Track Diplomacy, demonstrated through interreligious discourse, to develop interreligious and intercultural sensitivity within the young adult, nonprofessional demographic. The data and analysis is based upon research acquired through interviews with interreligious organizations, religious and academic scholars, and Jordanian citizens in spring 2008; and three interfaith trialogue sessions held April-May, 2008 with participants from the three Abrahamic faith traditions. The analysis indicates that mild tension exists between Christian …

Advocate, April 2008, Vol. [19], No. [5], Gc Advocate

The Advocate

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

GC Students Rally for Better Health Care (p. 1)

Whither Democracy? The Democratic Party’s Dilemma in 2008. Maurice Leach (p. 1)

From the Editor’s Desk: Lockdown America (p. 2)

Grad Life: Do You Need to Be Here? Questions For the Uncertain Graduate Student. James Trimarco (p. 4)

Dispatches from the Front: The Pile. Tim Krause (p. 4)

Adjuncting: Health Insurance: We Must Keep Pushing. Carl Lindskoog (p. 6)

The Revolution in Venezuela. Michael Busch (p. 9)

Masthead (p. 2)

Letters

“Raiding Nader.” Michael Busch, Political Science (p. 2)

GC Advocate Editor Responds (p. 3)

“Art and Authenticity.” …

Equality News (Spring 2008), Matthew R. Dubois

Equality news / EqualityMaine (2004-2008)

No abstract provided.

Effects Report: Potential Transfer Of Garrison Project Lands Within The Fort Berthold Reservation Boundaries Pursuant To The Fort Berthold Mineral Restoration Act, United States Army Corps Of Engineers, Omaha District, Nebraska

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated April 2008, from the United States (US) Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District, Nebraska) explains the potential transfer of unused lands from the Garrison Dam Project to the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation. The land transfer proposed to return a portion of land out of the 153,000 acres taken by the US Government for the construction of the Garrison Dam. The authority of this transfer is granted by the Fort Berthold Mineral Restoration Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-602). This report is broken into six sections: Introduction, Authority, Criteria, Proposed Determination, Determination, and Conclusion. An …

Political Science Spring 2008, Steve Hays, Dan Sabia

Political Science Newsletter Spring 2008

No abstract provided.

Volume 01, Jessica Fields, Stephanie Neeley, Derek W. Hambright, Mary E. Lehman, Andrew R. Grzankowski, Zachary Johnson, Boone M. Prentice, Ashley M. Swandby, Victoria Morgan, Katie Williamson, Kristine G. Bender, Katelyn N. Romaine, D. Nicole Swann, Jessica Fox, Mike Mcateer, Alex Grabiec, Laura Nodtvedt, Nick Costa, Rachel Wolfe, Zack Dalton

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Dean Dr. Charles Ross

Three Decades of Digging: Undergraduate Archeology at Longwood by Jessica Fields and Stephanie Neeley

Interactions of Allelopathy and Heat Stress in Plants by Derek W. Hambright and Mary E. Lehman

Inertial Electrostatic Confinement D-D Fusion Device: Construction and Simulation by Andrew R. Grzankowski

Shackled Nim by Zachary Johnson

Development of GC-MS and Chemometric Methods for the Analysis of Accelerants in Arson Cases by Boone M. Prentice

A Comparison of Image Analysis Methods in cDNA Microarrays by Ashley M. Swandby

Perceived Sexual Activity of Short and Long-Term Relationships by Victoria Morgan and Katie Williamson

Elderly …

On Their Best Behavior: Good Magazine On Contemporary China

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

The cover story for the May/June issue of Good Magazine, just hitting newsstands, is “Don’t Be Scared of China.” Living up to their moniker as “media for people who give a damn,” Good’s China issue encourages readers to learn more about China and embrace, not hate, in features like the tongue-in-cheek play on tabloid Us Weekly’s “Stars…They’re Just Like Us” photo spread that declares “They’re Just Like Us…They Like Hip Hop” and “They’re Just Like Us…They Go To Vegas.”

Though this approach at cultural exchange is well-intentioned, it continues a particularly egocentric understanding of China as a recipient of American …

James Miles On Media Coverage Of Tibet

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

James Miles of The Economist was in Tibet when the riots and protests started on March 14. China’s strict limitations on foreign journalists entering Tibet in the following days made Miles one of the few journalists who saw the riots firsthand. With all the attention being now paid to how the international media are covering the events in Tibet, we thought it would be interesting to find out how Miles felt about the questions he got upon returning from the field. Here’s how he answered us via email.

China Beat: Is there any question that you’ve been asked a lot …

Tibet 5: In The Third Week

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

With the crisis in Tibet entering its third week, we continue to sweep the web in search of interesting and/or informative pieces to bring to the attention of our readers. This fifth installment in the series is heavily devoted to retrospective works, which go back in time, either to detail what took place in Tibet in the past or explore historical analogies useful for thinking through the contemporary situation. Still, since the story continues to unfold and take surprising turns, we also include links to pieces that track very recent developments, both on the ground and in the debate over …

The Taelspin On Tibet: The Chinese Response To Foreign Media Coverage Of The 3.14 Unrest

China Beat Blog: Archive 2008-2012

Foreign media coverage of the demonstrations and riots in Lhasa, Qinghai,Sichuan, and Gansu two weeks ago has sparked a significant backlash here in China. State media continues to release increasingly shrill diatribes against Western media bias as Chinese netizens take to the internet with their own protests sparked by a general perception that coverage of the riots was purposely warped and skewed by anti-China forces in the West. (For a sampling in English, check out the back and forth on this forum hosted by that bastion of journalistic integrity and objectivity: The China Daily.) There’s a whole website devoted to …