I'm writing to report on an international conference on Communication and
Culture: China and the World Entering the 21st Century, organized by Kent
State U and Peking University, and was held at Peking University in
Beijing, China last week (Aug 13-16).
There were about 100 participants, about 50 of whom from countries outside
China. Some interesting topics include: The recent radio talk shows in
China: creating new public spheres for expressions/exchange of views on
public affairs; dev. of e-mail technology and China; how Chinese media
report foreign events; how to balance freedom of the press with social
responsibility of the press...
This is the second time I have been in the capital of China; the first
time was 11 years ago! Beijing has changed a great deal--beyond my
recognition; it is now like any other big city in the world--modernized,
and Westernized, and Japanized (from my own sense of it) to various
degress.
I am interested in the phenomenon of the fast growing popularity of a
book called "China can say no" in China, written recently by 5 young Chinese
intellectuals. This book has aroused some controversies and
some tensions between some people in China and some in the U.S,, and some
in Japan, too.
I have bought a copy of the book but haven't finished reading it yet.
The issue of
identity(ies), and how to negotiate China's identity in relation to the
West and Japan, and other countries, and how this is reflected in the
feelings and thinking of the younger generation in China will be an
important issue worthy of our attention. As China becomes more and more
economically important in the world, how she can enter the global club
again, how to establish her role and her relations with others, and how
others adapt to this new scene is something we need to pay attention to;
it would have consequences on the developing of mutual
understanding between 1/4 of the world's population and the rest of the world.
Another question is what are some of the ways socio-cultural-historical
researchers can approach these issues.
Angel
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Angel Lin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dept of English
City University
Hong Kong