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Rob_Hugo@PortNWHello everyone,
Welcome to the web discussion forum for the USCI/NCTA Fall 2009 "East Asia Since 1800" seminar at UTLA!
This is a space in which we can all get acquainted prior to the seminar. To that end, it would be great if you can reply to this post and provide the following:
1. Your name
2. Your school and teaching assignment
3. A photo (if you so desire; see attached "Using the Web Forum Guide" for detailed instructions)
4. Anything else about yourself that you would like to share
We will be posting information relevant to the seminar here, so please check in regularly. Also, for the ease and convenience of all forum users, please limit the number of new threads you create. If something can be shared, discussed or expanded upon under an existing thread, let's do so.
Thank you for your consideration, and welcome to the forum!
-Miranda
AnonymousHello. I hope I'm doing this correctly. I enjoyed the first meeting. It is very refreshing to have a lively speaker with a booming voice and a lot of visuals. I do not know how to start a thread if I am supposed to, or just reply to others', but I will figure it out. I checked out the home page, and the "on an average day" is very cool, my students will love the trivia and statistics. FYI October 15-29th is the San Diego Asian Film Festival and I checked out their website, a lot of good movies. I especially liked the animated shorts of 6-10 minutes which are perfect for classroom use. For the film we chose for our revie, should it be directed by a native of the country it is about? I liked the synopsis of "And Thereafter" but am still looking. Also, Dragon Seed from 1944 I like, but has caucasian actors playing all the main roles as Asians, not sure about appropriatness. See everyone at the next meeting.
AnonymousHi all,
Like I said in another reply, I'm excited to be back for another seminar via USC-China Institute. My name is Sarah Eun and I teach 2/3rd grade at Larchmont Charter School. I've been an elementary school teacher for 6 years. My teaching career all began when I decided to take a one year break from academics before entering Law School; that year, I decided to go on a Japan-Exchange program (JET) where you taught conversation English to Japanese students. I thought it would be a great opportunity to make some money, travel, and have an amazing adventure. Well, that adventure ended up being 3 years and when I came back to the states, I decided to not go to law school and pursue education. I got my masters and teaching credential and started teaching since. I've enjoyed the many opportunities being in education brings -- by far, working with young minds and exchanging ideas with fellow colleagues/educators.
In my spare time, I belong to an organization called Korea Academy for Educators (KAFE)--they have free seminars for educators in the fall, spring and summer. I encourage anyone to check it out. I also enjoy running and just finished midnight race at the Nike Human Race 2009 at USC Coliseum on October 24th. It was a blast as well as a treat to run around USC past Midnight with over 8500 people! It was a sea of red-t shirt everywhere!
It's great to be back! It was so nice to see both Clay and Miranda. Thank you! Sarah Eun[Edit by="seun on Oct 25, 12:26:56 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="seun on Oct 25, 12:27:18 PM"][/Edit]
Anonymous1. PATRICIA CAMPUZANO
2. SAN PEDRO HIGH / SPANISH
3. A photo will be posted
4. I HAVE CONTACTED AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE THAT COULD QUALIFY TO ATTEND
I am very happy to be back, What a great way to meet more teachers accross town and share ideas.
XieXie
i will continue inviting friends to the seminar
AnonymousHello,
I am glad to have been accepted to this program and look forward to my first session, this coming Tuesday. I came on board late 
but I'm not generally the tardy type.
I am teaching AP Language and Sophomore English at Glendale High, after having been a Counselor for the last 2 1/2 years at the same site. I taught English at GHS prior to my move into counseling. Additionally, I am the Japanese club advisor on campus and enjoy hosting the Japanese students and was able to visit Japan a year ago summer.
The USC midnite run sounds incredibly cool. I want to hear more about it.
Anyway, back to East Asia seminar...my book arrived yesterday. Yikes. Got to get reading. And no, I don't think i look like my dog, but I like his picture in his tux, so am using that. He just attended my daughter's wedding and looked so spiffy in his tux, and hey he is of Chinese heritage, so yah.
Look forward to meeting you all Tuesday eve.[Edit by="lsheridan on Nov 8, 5:43:53 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousHello, my name is Cheryce Kurtz and I teach World History and Gov't/Econ. at Glendale H.S. I'm looking forward to learning a lot more about China to enhance my teaching.
AnonymousHI !
It is ALison Brooks.
I teach at Portola Middle School-special day class, all classes.
I love to travel and hope to travel to Asia within the coming year.
AnonymousI loved the informative class session two. Thank you for the gernerous and wonderful dinner presented, as well. I like how you teach about the cuisine by mere presentation, not as a discourse.
I found once again Clay to be a dynamic, enthusiastic speaker. I found the history and workings of the Manchu dynasty facinating. It humbles to me to learn about the existance of such an ancient civilization, compared to us new Americans.
I also found it facinating how the Chinese chose (choose) people for employment based on that they do, not what they know. If only we in America used the same criterion! How our society would be different!
Yet once again I am amazed and dazzled by the integrity, strength and determination of the Chinese people. Until next week !
AnonymousHi all!
My name is Meredith Adams and this is my 2nd year teaching at Westchester High and my 3rd in the district. I was asked to teach the AP World History class this year at the school so I thought I'd brush up on my Asian Histories to make sure I can wow my students like Clayton's lectures are wowing me!
I can't wait until the seminar tomorrow! I'm so excited!
AnonymousI was thrilled to be a participant in Part II of the East Asia seminar only a few months after
the Early East Asia sessions. Our first meeting was a bit rushed but managed to provide
an overview of forthcoming sessions.
I have been able to incorporate parts of this information into my American History class
since we do not exist in a bubble apart from the rest of the world.
Slowly, I have been able to sway some students to understand our connectivity to the rest of the world.
Cheryl Watson
AnonymousMiranda Ko and Professor Dube:
Here is one of my assignments which will cover my absence on December 5, 2009.
On Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 4 pm, I heard Dr. speak about
his book, "The Rise of China."
Many of the factors which foretold the end of the British Empire, are evident with regard to the US in world affairs today. It is from these observations and other factors that lead Dr. to write his book about the Rise of the East.
He opined the the West considered itself as most cosmopolitan, but it is most parochial.
Democracy on its own is not the question - it is a Western invention and pluralism is part of it.
The West is not the repository of democracy. Democracy is a Western phenomenon born out of ignorance.
Until now, other countries had to adapt to the West and that is changing. (refer to "playground metaphor").
As a result, it will be very difficult for most Westerners to adapt to another culture.
By contrast, the Chinese people do not regard the state as their representative which means that the state is not reduced to a democracy. With no serious competitors to its state within the last 1,000 years, delineating limits to the power of the state.
In addition, the Chinese enjoy: 1) greater authority, 2) greater literacy, and 3) greater respect from its people. The Chinese people view their state with reverence and they are willing to defer to it for the sake of national stability.
China's population view their state as: 1) the guardian, 2) the custodian, and 3) with legitimacy as the protector of the Chinese civilization.
Thus, our differently evolving society (US-China) results in a differently evolving state and it is utterly hubristic to make the Chinese government like the US government.
In his opinion, he believes that the Chinese state is the most competent state in the world.
For example, the Chinese government has extraordinary ability for governance. In fact, it is the culture, governance, and society which define China as a government with an extraordinary ability for governance.
Why do these differences exist?
Political scientists are focused on political systems, not political cutlures, but they ignore the fact that it is the political culture that determines its politics.
For example, there may be some form of democracy in China albeit autocratic democracy.
I think of Tiannamen Square. It will not be the last major protest that occurs in China.
The US is no longer able to underwrite the international order after WWII ( and the US was the chief beneficiary of this arrangement) and it is in relative decline. As a result, there will be a long period of instability for the US as it seeks to compete with China.
Since WWII, the biggest economies were the richest economies. Today, the biggest economies of India and China are not the richest.
He asserted that race is a cultural construct, not a biological factor.
Out of China's 1.3 billion people, 90% consider themselves as "Han" eventhough
the population of China as a whole as been mixed, melded, mingled, and forced to assimilate to other cultures from the West and from other Asian countries.
However, the weakness of the Han people in this global society is that they have a weak conception for cultural differences since the Han people have a hierarchal concept of culture.
We (the West) do not understand China and what they do ticks us off.
However, when we learn to understand China, we will have better relations with them.
In 50 years, the US will not exercise the same power it does now (although in my opinion, it will still be an important player in world affairs, this put Taiwan in a precarious situation since it is heavily westernized and dependent on US support.
Cheryl Watson
AnonymousHere is another post about the Rise of the East from Dr. Chase (?) on NPR 11/19/09 "Fresh Air".
He is the Director of the Asia Society in New York for US-China relations.
He has written 9 books on China and was Dean of the School of Journalism at UC Berkeley.
Dr. Chase believes that our democracy has stalled due to vicious bi-partisan politics whereas China's rapid development had been aided by their autocratic system of government. However, plans can be delayed for decades, just like the US, due to internal strife.
(See article on Mao's Yangze River plan which has been thrawted for decades due to arguments between scientists and engineers "Beneath Booming Cities".)
China had 700 miles of high speed rail, and now it has approximately 7,000 (?) miles of high speed rail.
Tiannamen Square is a near memory as is the fall of the Berlin Wall. Although it took about 50 years for the Berlin Wall to fall, Hu Jin Tau knows about preceding failed peoples revolution in Czech. and in other eastern block countries decades earlier.
It is for this reason Hu Jin Tau fears an Internet infiltration as it may lead to independent thinking and separate organizations who want to operation apart from the centralized government.
China's government must control 1.3 billion people, which is why it is terrified of US style democracy. They believe there would be chaos.
For now, most Chinese are proud of China's rapid advancement and its 10% annual growth, which is why they tolerate their Chinese autocratic government. Decades from 2009, China may settle into an autocratic style of democracy.
Dr. Chase attributes China's explosive growth to its autocratic government. He opines that more can be accomplished with that type of government.
My thoughts about this interview on NPRs "Fresh Air" are as follows:
As Chinese people hear of the freedoms in other countries via email, text, IM or AIM, or though pirated copies of DVDs from the West or from other Asian countries, they may yearn for both economic freedom and political freedom.
If history is to be our guide then consider this, many historians say:
1) WWII happened because WWI was not finished.
2) The Iraq War happened because the Gulf Was was not finished.
Could these principles about armed conflict also apply to the democratization of governments? If that is so then perhaps the Berlin Wall fell because the Soviet Union ignored the basic freedoms of its people.
Then what if democracy happens in China because Tiannamen Square was never finished?
Cheryl Watson
AnonymousHi every one,it was a pleasure for me to be around teachers of Social Studies. It was a bit intimidating for me since I an not that much computer literate. Hope to find a friend a help to over come with this little fear
AnonymousHello Everyone,
I am sorry I took so long, the leg/acident thing has been quite a nuisance. Any way, Im Joe Gonzalez, I have been in education for 10 years. I started teaching Spanish at the High School level (to fluent and nonfluent students), then training new teachers as academic coach at the middle school level, my current position consists of training ELD teachers and working with at risk students at Bunche Middle School in Compton. I was born in Havana Cuba and lived in various parts of the US; the east coast/ midwest and the south. Initially I became interested in Asian culture through martial arts, this led to a study of religions and philosphy of the east. My exposure/appreciation to Asian cultures deepened through a membership in a multicultural club and several world literatures courses in college. In researching the influences of many cultures of Latin America, I was facinated by the Chinese community in Cuba, and its impact on Cuban culture. Since then I have been an avid fan of Chinese and Japenese films, poetry and literature. On a more personal level, my son is expecting his first child who will be of Cuban, Chinese, Greek, Mexican, and Peruvian descent. I feel like an active participant of the global community; Viva la revolucion!
clay dubeHi Cheryl,
Thanks for bringing in the NPR interview. Orville Schell heads the US-China Center at the Asia Society. He's best known for his long career writing about China and he's a member of our board of scholars. You can see him speaking at USC at:
http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=214