China - U.S. Dialogue:Joining the Conversation on Global Affairs

Catalog description

It is often said that the relation between China and the US is an important key to 21st century global developments. In China, students learn English from an early age and engage with U.S. culture through movies and television. They are well suited to participate, and be bridges, in the 21st century dialog between the countries. At the same time, differences between the countries in history, culture, and political and economic systems mean that many of the common English terms that are key to the dialog may have different meanings in the two countries. This course will try to equip students to participate in the dialog by focusing on, and learning how to discuss, some key terms and concepts that are core to the dialog—for example, the idea of the American and Chinese dreams, ideas of history and progress, the role of religious and Confucian tradition in modern life, and the idea of citizenship in each country.