Light Center for Chinese Studies Lecture Series
FALL 2024 EVENTS
Thursday, November 21, 2024
"Social Media and Marginalized Voices in Neo/Non-liberal China" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Cara Wallis, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Michigan. Registration requested View session flyer
Monday, November 11, 2024
"The Poetry of Xi Chuan and “Chineseness” Re-reconsidered" at noon, presented by Dr. Lucas Klein, Associate Professor of Chinese at Arizona State University. Registration requested View session flyer
SPRING 2024 EVENTS
Wednesday, April 10
"The Future of Contemporary Chinese Art" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Vivian Li, the Lupe Murchison Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dallas Museum of Art. Registration requested View session flyer
Wednesday, March 27
"Productive Differences: Art, Labor and Education in Southwest China" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Prof. Patrick D. Wilson, Associate Professor of Sculpture at Western Michigan University, Frostic School of Art. View session flyer
Thursday, February 15
"Digital Transformation and Program Management: A Case in China" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. James J. Jiang, Distinguished Professor of IT Management, National Taiwan University. View session flyer
Thursday, February 1
"Three Perfections of Chinese Art: Exploring Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and Poetry" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Huajing Maske, Assistant Vice President for International Partnerships and Clinical Professor of Global Studies, Wayne State University. View session flyer
FALL 2023 EVENTS
Thursday, November 16
"Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk: Can Communication and Understanding facilitate Accommodation in the US-China Relationship" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Suisheng Zhao, Professor and Director of the Center for China-US Cooperation at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. View session flyer
Wednesday, October 11
"Perception and Misperception in U.S.-China Relations" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Andrew Scobell, Distinguished Fellow for China at the United States Institute of Peace and an adjunct professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. View session flyer
Wednesday, September 13
"China’s Development and China-U.S. Relations" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Consul General Jian Zhao, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago. View session recording View session flyer
SPRING 2023 EVENTS
Wednesday, April 5
"Chinese Americans in the Heartland: Migration, Work, and Community" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Huping Ling, Professor of History, the founder of the Asian/Asian American Studies Program at Truman State University. View session flyer
Wednesday, February 22
"From Chinatown to Every Town: How Chinese Immigrant Entrepreneurs Have Expanded Restaurant Business in the United States" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Zai Liang, Professor of Sociology at State University of New York at Albany. View session flyer
FALL 2022 EVENTS
Tuesday, October 11
"Zero-COVID, Carbon Neutrality, and the Future of Coercive Environmentalism" at 6:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Yifei Li, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at NYU Shanghai and Global Network Assistant Professor at NYU. View session flyer
Tuesday, September 27
"China Planet: Environmental Implications of the Rise of China" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Judith Shapiro, Director of the Masters in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development for the School of International Service at American University. View session recording View session flyer
Spring 2022 EVENTS
Wednesday, April 6
"Pulling the Nation’s Noodles: Ramen and the Chinese Origins of Modern Japanese Cuisine?" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Barak Kushner, Professor of East Asian History and Co-Chair of the Faculty of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. View session flyer
Wednesday, February 23
"Can China Sustain Its Current Level of Food Security?" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Zhangyue Zhou, Former Director of the AusAsia Business Studies Program and Adjunct Professor at James Cook University in Australia. View session recording View session flyer
Wednesday, January 26
"Why Chopsticks? Utensil-use, Changing Foodway and Eating Style in Asia" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Q. Edward Wang, Professor of History and Coordinator of Asian Studies at Rowan University in the US and Changjiang Professor of History at Peking University in China. View session recording View session flyer
FALL 2021 EVENTS
Tuesday, November 9
"Learning, Teaching and Schooling in China: Ideals, Realities and Prospects" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Jun Li, Chair and Professor of the Academic and Research Cluster of Critical Policy, Equity and Leadership Studies of Western University Faculty of Education. View session recording View session flyer
Tuesday, October 26
"Improving Students’ Learning: East Meets West in Mathematics Classroom" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Jinfa Cai, Kathleen and David Hollowell Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Delaware, and a Fellow of American Educational Research Association. View session recording View session flyer.
Tuesday, September 28
"Bad Dragon?: Why China Has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World" at 3:30 p.m., presented by Dr. Yong Zhao, a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas. View session recording View session flyer
SPRING 2021 EVENTS
Tuesday, April 6
"The Gendered Pursuit of Individualism: Fertility Intentions in Contemporary Urban China” talk at 10 a.m. by Dr. Yun Zhou, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan. View session recording View session flyer
Friday, March 19
"America Seen through Chinese Lenses" talk at 10 a. m. by Dr. Wang Xi, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. View session recording View session flyer
Tuesday, February 16
"Nezha and Miaoshan: Myth, Desire, and Chinese Patriliny" at 10 a. m., presented by Dr. P. Steven Sangren, Hu Shih Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chinese Studies and Anthropology at Cornell University. View session recording View session flyer
FALL 2020 EVENTS
Wednesday, November 18
"Hollywood and Chinese other" talk at 3 p. m., presented by Dr. Tan Ye, Professor of Comparative Literature and Chinese at University of South Carolina. View session recordingView session flyer
Tuesday, October 6
“The Present as Prologue: The Gloomy Outlook for US-China Relations” talk at 10 a.m. by Dr. Avery Goldstein, David M. Knott Professor of Global Politics and International Relations, University of Pennsylvania. View session recording View Session flyer
Saturday, September 12
"Food Consumption Changes Due to COVID-19: Lessons from China" at 9 a. m.,presented by Ann Veeck, Marcel Zondag, Jeffrey Xie, and Russell Zwanka along with Hongyan Yu (Sun Yat-Sen University) and Hong Zhu (Northeast Normal University). View Session Recording View session flyer
FALL 2019 EVENTS
Wednesday, November 13
"US-China Trade War and Economic Relations" talk—noon in 2130 Sangren Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Confucius Institute at WMU and the Department of Economics. The talk will be given by Dr. Huizhong Zhou, professor of economics at Western Michigan University. Free.
SPRING 2019 EVENTS
Friday, April 19
"Sensory Experience and Chinese Painting circa 1800" talk—5 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 435 W. South St., Kalamazoo, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the WMU Center for the Humanities, the Confucius Institute at WMU, the Richmond Center for Visual Arts, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Art League. The talk will be given by Dr. Michael Hatch, assistant professor of East Asian art at Miami University. Free.
Thursday, April 11
"Is the trade war between US and China over?" talk—4:30 p.m. in 2028 Brown Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Department of Economics, the Department of Political Science the Confucius Institute at WMU and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The talk will be given by Dr. Christina Liu, managing director of Bellwether International Group in Hong Kong and member of the Global Council of Asia Society (USA). Free.
Wednesday, March 20
"Pacific narratives of Chinese and American female intellectuals in the first half of the 20th century" talk—4 p.m. in 1025 Brown Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Confucius Institute at WMU and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The talk will be given by Dr. Lijuan Huang, professor of English and comparative literature at the International Institute of Chinese Culture, Beijing Foreign Studies University. Free.
FALL 2018 EVENTS
Friday, November 30
"Tourism-Driven Urbanization in China's Small Town Development"—2 p.m. in 2119 Wood Hall, hosted by the Department of Geography, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies and the Milton & Ruth Scherer Endowment Fund. The talk will be given by Professor Li Yang, associate professor of geography and recipient of the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies Research Grant. Free.
Monday, September 10
"Jade as Painting" talk—noon in the Faculty Dining Room in the Bernhard Center, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Confucius Institute at WMU, the Center for the Humanities, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Art League. The talk will be given by Dr. Yang Liu, head of the Chinese, South and Southeast Asian art department at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Free.
Sunday, September 9
"Power and Beauty in China's Last Dynasty: A New Approach" talk—3 p.m. in Room 2008 Richmond Center for Visual Arts, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Confucius Institute at WMU, the Center for the Humanities, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Art League. The talk will be given by Dr. Yang Liu, head of the Chinese, South and Southeast Asian art department at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Free.
SPRING 2018 EVENTS
Thursday, April 5
"Displacement as Opportunity" lecture series—4 to 5 p.m. at 1910 Sangren Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. In his lecture, Professor Xuefei Jin (Ha Jin) plans to give a short talk in combination with some poetry reading in both English and Chinese. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, March 21
"Mediating Cybersecurity Discourse: A Comparative Study between China and the United States" talk—4 p.m. in 2130 Sangren Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the School of Communication, the Confucius Institute at WMU, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The talk will be given by Dr. Junfang Zhang, a professor at School of Journalism and Communication in Shanghai International Studies University, China. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, March 14
"Bohai—A Mysterious Kingdom in Northeast Asia" talk—Noon in 210 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, and the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. The talk will be given by Professor Migkun Huo, a visiting scholar from Heilongjiang University, China. Free and open to the public.
"Eastern Han Tomb Figurines from Fengjie County: The Diffusion of Han Culture" talk—Noon in 210 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, and the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. The talk will be given by Ms. Haowen Chen, a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Renmin University, China. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, March 13
"Korea's Crisis, China's Problem" talk—3:30 p.m. in 3301 Friedmann Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, and the Department of Political Science. The talk will be given by Dr. REN Xiao, professor of international politics at the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, and Director of Chinese Foreign Policy. Free and open to a public.
Wednesday, February 7
"Dragon and Eagle in Africa: Comparing China and America's Influence in Africa" talk—4 p.m. in 2130 Sangren Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Department of Economics, the Department of Political Science, the Confucius Institute at WMU, the Center for African Development Policy Research and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The talk will be given by Dr. Jijun Ran, a Fulbright visiting scholar affiliated to SAIS of Johns Hopkins University.
FALL 2017 EVENTS
Wednesday, Oct. 18
"Journey to the West: the True Story of Xuanzang (602-664)" talk—noon in 205 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Department of History, the Confucius Institute at WMU and the Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The talk will be given by Dr. Victor Cunrui Xiong, professor of history and a recipient of the WMU Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award. Free and open to the public.
Friday, Sept. 22
"Crossing the 1949 Dividing Line: A New Trend in the Study of Modern China" talk—noon in 204 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Department of History, the Confucius Institute at WMU and the Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The lecture will be given by Dr. Hanchao Lu, director of the China Research Center in Atlanta and professor of history at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Free and open to the public.
Thursday, Sept. 21
"To the People, Food is Heaven: Politics and Quotidian Life in Recent Chinese History" lecture—4:30 p.m. in 1028 Brown Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. The lecture will be given by Dr. Hanchao Lu, director of the China Research Center in Atlanta and professor of history at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Free and open to the public.
Friday, Sept. 15
"China's Pork Industry: A Globalization Story" talk—noon in 204 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Department of Geography, the Department of Economics, the Confucius Institute at WMU, Food and Consumer Packaged Goods Marketing and the Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The talk will be give by Dr. Fred Gale, senior economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Free and open to the public.
Thursday, Sept. 14
"China's Emerging Role in Global Agriculture" lecture—4 p.m. in 1028 Brown Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies. The lecture will be give by Dr. Fred Gale, senior economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Free and open to the public.
SPRING 2017 EVENTS
Monday, April 10
"Social Turmoil in Hong Kong: Challenging Chinese Sovereignty?" lecture—4 p.m. in 1740 Sangren Hall, hosted by the Timothy Light Lecture Series on China. The lecture will be given by Dr. Helen Siu, professor of anthropology at Yale University. Free and open to the public.
Thursday, April 6
"Urbanization and Social Change in Early 20th-Century Xikang (in Tibet), China" talk—noon in 204 Bernhard Center, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The talk will be given by Yang Liu, assistant research fellow and PhD candidate at the Institute of Urban Studies at Sichuan University, China. Free and open to the public.
Thursday, March 16
"How to Make Chinese Cities Skilled" Lecture—4 p.m. in 1028 Brown Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the WMU Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the Confucius Institute at WMU, the WMU Department of Economics, and Kalamazoo Valley College. The lecture will be given by Dr. Shihe Fu, fulbright scholar and professor of economics at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.
Wednesday, March 1
"Social Media in China: An Update" Lecture—4 p.m. in 1028 Brown Hall, hosted by the Haenicke Institute for Global Education, the WMU Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies, the WMU School of Communication, and Kalamazoo Valley College. The lecture will be given by Dr. King-wa Fu, associate professor of journalism and media studies at the University of Hong Kong. Free and open to the public.