USCET American Studies Network Weekend
Beijing | April 29-30, 2016
The US-China Education Trust and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) co-sponsored the American Studies Weekend on the campus of BFSU on April 29th and 30th. The Weekend welcomed over a hundred participants, including speakers, Chinese officials, faculty members, and students, who represented over 60 institutions across China. Participants engaged in exciting discussions of promoting cultural and educational exchange between the U.S. and China, filling the weekend with inspiring exchanges of ideas, experiences, reunions, and recognitions. The Weekend featured four main events:
SOFT LAUNCH: Chinese Association for the Study of American Culture and Society
The weekend started off with the Soft Launch of the Chinese Association for the Study of American Culture and Society (CASACS), which under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) will provide a much needed platform as a branch of the Zhong Hua Mei Guo Xue Hui ((中华美国学会) to strengthen the study of American society and culture in China. An association such as CASACS will also facilitate communication between American and Chinese scholars, cultivating and nurturing the integrity of American Studies in China and fostering academic collaboration. The purpose of academic and cultural exchange is to foster mutual understanding in order to relieve the mistrust and misunderstanding that too often impede U.S-China relations.
Zhou Qi, the newly elected vice president of the Xue Hui, led the discussions, which made clear that Chinese scholars agree with the need to strengthen the study of American culture and society in China, and are eager to join CASACS. The interest in Donald Trump and the current U.S. presidential election was particularly noticeable. It became a leitmotif for why the Chinese need to learn more about American culture, including religion, and how the American people interact with each other and with their government. Without such understanding, many felt it would be impossible to understand American politics, especially the phenomenon of Trump, and the implications of the election for U.S.-China relations.
ASN BOOK LAUNCH: Meet with authors of The Power of Culture: Encounters between China and the United States
Since 2006, USCET has been publishing compilations of papers from our Annual American Studies Network (ASN) Conferences. Professor Priscilla Roberts of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has edited altogether four volumes from the annual conferences to-date. To celebrate the release of the fourth ASN Conference book publication, The Power of Culture: Encounters between China and the United States, we organized a Book Launch to recognize the scholarship of all 39 contributing authors of the publication, particularly those of BFSU faculty and graduate students, who contributed 10 of the 31 chapters in this volume. It was a joyful occasion to also give recognition to all 112 contributors of ASN publications.
The book is a collection of essays that emphasizes the role and importance of cultural and educational exchange in U.S-China relations. It highlights the potential of cultural diplomacy and soft power, as well as the importance of reducing mutual distrust in U.S.-China relations. Professor Roberts in her opening remarks addressed the growth of American Studies in China and the rising quality of the research papers over the years, including the increase in focus on women’s studies as seen in the rising popularity of the Vagina Monologues, a play that targets issues of gender, feminism, sexuality, and identity. The discussions opened the floor to cutting edge conversations of cultural identity, as seen in Harvard Professor Homi K. Bhabha’s “third place” theory of being caught between two cultures. Participants cited educational and cultural exchange as a vehicle that could bridge cultural differences and build understanding.
A few of the essays recognized the impacts as well as limitations of educational and cultural exchanges. Professor Chen Peiqin from Sichuan International Studies University discussed the impact of cultural exchange programs on how participants of such programs perceived their host countries. She found that images of both China and U.S were distorted and skewed by the international news coverage in the two countries. Fu Meirong, the acting director of BFSU’s American Studies Program, co-authored a chapter on the Fulbright program, which examined its effects on the professional advancement of Chinese participants in the program. She interviewed a number of Chinese Fulbright scholars on their experiences in the U.S as well as their career trajectories after their return and found that participation in the Fulbright program had a significant impact on the participants’ professional development after their return, although the effect tended to diminish over time. Many participants expressed regret that they had not taken fuller advantage of the opportunities available, and wished for more follow-up engagement from the American institutions. Nevertheless, the Fulbright program is still recognized as one of the most prominent educational exchange programs available, and is still highly-prized as an asset in U.S.-China cultural and educational exchanges.
FORUM: LOOKING BACK AND BEYOND: 70 YEARS OF FULBRIGHT EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE IN CHINA
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 as an educational exchange program to increase mutual understanding and support peaceful and friendly relations between the people of the United States and people from other countries. Since then, it has become the flagship international educational exchange program of the U.S. government, and has educated over 360,000 students from 165 countries, including 54 Nobel Laureates and 33 heads of states or governments. The Forum celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Fulbright Program, which in China has provided “opportunities for cooperation and exchange in educational fields based on equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit.” Under the program’s auspices, Chinese and American educators, researchers, and students pursue study, research and teaching in each other’s countries. The Fulbright Forum celebrated the success of the program and its role in improving U.S.-China relations. Current and past Chinese and American Fulbright scholars shared their experiences with the program, and offered critical analyses of the program and its impact on U.S.-China relations. Mr. Zong Wa, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), and Mr. Cao Shihai, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council, spoke at the event.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DINNER IN HONOR OF PROFESSOR MEI RENYI
The Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner in honor of Prof. Mei Renyi – Distinguished Professor at BFSU, China’s first Fulbright scholar, and a pioneer of American Studies in China – was a memorable highlight of the weekend. Professor Mei was a Fulbright scholar who embarked on his journey to the United States in 1982 to study American history. His scholarship led him from language instruction and English literature to American Studies. His work in American Studies, experience as a Fulbright scholar, and work in promoting of U.S-China relations earned him the Directorship of the American Studies Center at Beijing Foreign Studies University, top in its field in China.
Recognizing Professor Mei as the “Dean of American Studies in China”, Ambassador Bloch praised the BFSU professor of 40 years for nurturing an entire generation of American Studies scholars in China. Over one hundred of his students traveled from near and far to pay tribute to their mentor, aptly described as “tao li man tian xia”. BFSU leadership, including President Peng Long and Vice President Sun Yuzhong, were also present to pay tribute to the professor along with his students. Professor Mei, accepting the award, gave a moving speech about the importance of American Studies in U.S.-China relations, the merit of cultural exchanges, and challenged his students to further strengthen the scholarship in the field of American Studies in China.
The Award Dinner also inaugurated the Mei Renyi American Studies Essay Competition, introduced by Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch. Professor Mei has recommended that advanced English language students read essays in the social sciences rather than fiction as their main study material. In a recent China Daily interview, Prof. Mei was quoted as saying, “Language is Power.” Language holds an often under-appreciated, under-utilized power within its potential to promote cross-cultural understanding and promote better U.S.-China relations. The essay competition is to be a two-track competition, one open for graduate students and the other for undergraduate students. The competition seeks applicants that reflect the thoughtful scholarly qualities that Professor Mei has projected throughout his career and life.
USCET美国研究联络会周末
2016年4月29-30日，北京
北京外国语大学
4月29号和30号，USCET与北京外国语大学在北京外国语大学的校园共同举办了美国研究周末。这个周末欢迎了上百名参加者，包括演讲者、中国政府官员、教职工和学生，他们代表了中国超过60所大学和机构。参加者们围绕促进中美文化和教育交流进行了激动人心的讨论，在周末的活动中，他们进行了令人振奋的思想与经验的交流。这个周末主要包含了四个活动：
软性启动：中国文化与社会研究协会
周末启动的中国研究协会美国文化与社会研究（CASACS）为中华美国学会提供了一个平台，加强了中国的美国社会与文化研究。像CASACS此类的协会还将促进中美学者之间的交流，培养和培育在华美国研究的完整性，促进学术合作。学术和文化交流的目的是促进相互理解，以消除中美之间的不信任与误解。
新当选的副主席Zhou Qi主持了讨论。他表示中国的学者同意加强对在华美国文化和研究的必要性，也希望能够加入美国文化与社会研究协会。人们对于特朗普和美国近期选举表现出了极大的兴趣。这逐渐变成了一个为什么中国需要了解更多的包括宗教以及美国人民是如何与彼此和政府互动在内的美国的文化的主旨。如果没有来自这些方面的理解，很多人都觉得要去理解美国政治，特别是特朗普现象以及美国选举对中美关系的影响是不可能的。
美国研究联络会书籍发布：与《文化的力量：中美相遇》的作者相见
从2006年以来，USCET一直在出版美国研究联络会大会的论文汇编。香港大学教授Priscilla Roberts在今年的会议上共编辑了4卷。为了庆祝第四版美国研究联合会会议论文出版，特别举办了发布会以感谢所有39位给予贡献的学者们，特别是北京外国语大学的教职工和研究生们，他们撰写了31章里的10章。这是一个令人高兴的场合，为此要特别感谢全部112位对美国研究联络会论文汇编的贡献者们。
这本书是一本论文汇编，强调文化和教育交流在中美关系中的作用和重要性。它突出在中美关系中，文化外交和软实力的潜力，以及减少与美国相互不信任的重要性。Roberts教授在开场白中谈到了近年来美国在华研究的发展，以及研究论文质量的不断提高，其中包括越来越受欢迎的《Vagina Monologues》，《Vagina Monologues》关注的是性别、女性主义、性和身份等问题。哈佛大学教授Homi K. Bhabha提出的夹在两种文化之间的“第三位”理论，就是一个例子。与会者指出，教育和文化交流是弥合文化差异和增进理解的一种手段。
其中一些文章认识到了教育和文化交流的局限性。来自四川外国语大学的Chen Peiqin教授讨论了文化交流项目会如何影响与会者看待东道国的影响。她发现，中美两国的形象被两国的国际新闻报道扭曲。北京外国语大学美国研究学主任Fu Meirong与人合写了《福布莱特计划》的一章，该项目考察了福布莱特计划对中国学员专业发展的影响。她采访了多位中国福布莱特计划学者在美国的经历以及回国后的职业发展轨迹，发现参与福布莱特计划对参与者回国后的专业发展产生了重大影响，尽管这种影响随着时间的推移逐渐减弱。许多与会者表示遗憾的是，他们没有充分利用现有的机会，并希望美国各机构能有更多的后续行动。尽管如此，福布莱特计划仍然被认为是目前最著名的教育交流项目之一，在中美文化和教育交流中仍被高度重视。
论坛：回首过去：福布莱特教育交流计划在中国的70年
福布莱特计划创立于1946年，是一个教育交流计划，旨在为美国与其他国家增加互信以及建立良好的关系。从那时起，该计划便成为了美国政府国际教育交流项目的旗帜，教育了来自165个国家超过360,000个学生，其中包括了54位诺贝尔奖获得者和33位国家首脑。该论坛庆祝了福布莱特计划的70周年，在中国，福布莱特计划为“平等、互惠、互利的教育领域合作和交流提供了机会。” 在该项目的赞助下，中美两国的教育工作者、研究人员和学生在各自的国家进行学习、研究和教学。福布莱特计划庆祝了该项目的成功及其在改善中美关系方面的作用。现在和之前的中美福布莱特学者们分享了他们的项目经验，并对该项目及其对中美关系的影响进行了批判性分析。中国教育国际交流协会副秘书长Zong Wa先生和中国留学基金委副秘书长Cao Shihai先生在会上发言。
终身成就奖晚宴感谢梅仁毅教授
为感谢梅仁毅教授而举行的终身成就奖晚宴是这个周末令人难忘的亮点。梅仁毅教授是中国第一个福布莱特学者，也是在华美国研究的先驱。梅教授是一名福布莱特学者，在1982年开始他的美国之旅，学习和研究美国历史。他的学识使他从语言教学和英国文学转向美国研究。他在美国研究方面的工作，作为福布莱特学者的经历，以及在促进中美关系发展方面的工作为他赢得了北京外国语大学美国研究中心主任的职位。
Bloch大使认可梅教授是“在华美国研究的院长”，并称赞这位北京外国语大学教授超过40年，培育了一代学习美国研究的中国学者的辛劳。超过一百名梅教授的学生不远万里来到这里对他们的导师致敬，真正表现出了“桃李满天下”。北京外国语大学校长彭龙以及副校长孙有中同样也对这位老教授献上了敬意。梅教授接受了奖项，并就美国研究在中美关系中的重要性和文化交流的价值发表了演讲，并要求他的学生要加强在华美国研究领域的探讨与学习。
颁奖晚宴还举行了“梅仁毅美国研究”论文大赛，由Bloch大使介绍。梅教授建议拥有高级英语技能的学生多阅读社会科学类论文，而不是以小说为主要学习材料。在最近一次接受《中国日报》采访时，梅教授说：“语言就是力量。”语言在促进跨文化理解和提升中美关系的中拥有一种经常被低估、未被充分利用的力量。论文比赛是一个双轨竞赛，一个为研究生开放，另一个为本科生开放。这项比赛旨在寻找能够反映梅教授在整个职业生涯和人生中所展现出的学术素养的申请者。
更多关于论文竞赛和奖项的信息，请关注USCET网站和ASN时事通讯。