China Bound A Guide to Academic Life and Work in the PRC (1987) / Chapter Skim
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4. Research and Study
4. Research and Study
Pages 71-107
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From page 71... ...
And the pragmatic spirit that characterizes reforms in these sectors has also affected China's universities and research institutes, which have been given increased responsibility for their own economic well-being as well as freedom to implement internal changes and establish links with other institutions and enterprises, both within China and abroad. To date, Chinese institutions of higher learning have developed formal exchange agreements with more than 180 U.S.
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From page 72... ...
It seems clear that policies are interpreted locally; that negotiation is warranted if demands seem unreasonable or unclear; and that, however personal are your relations with Chinese colleagues, interaction with the academic institution will be much more contractual than in the past. THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES As part of the reforms in education, universities have been granted virtual autonomy in deciding matters of curriculum, personnel management, and relations with other organizations.
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From page 73... ...
They came to hear lectures given by the Qinghua staff and to look at materials developed for teaching" (China Exchange News, June 1986, p.
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From page 74... ...
These practices generally have been dealt with severely when they are discovered, but in the competitive atmosphere that prevails in China, they probably will continue at some levels. The reforms announced at Beijing University in the spring of 1985 are reflected in other institutions.
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From page 75... ...
I was introduced to only one graduate student in the very last week of my stay, and I met no other members of the departmental faculty besides the two who were formally appointed to assist me" (China Exchange News, December 1984, p.
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From page 76... ...
Linban personnel are responsible for overseeing the myriad details of everyday student life. They assign housing and, if appropriate, roommates, arrange travel permits, issue ration coupons, and upon departure see their charges through customs.
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From page 77... ...
Those working in the countryside may have little contact with their urbanbased host institution beyond a welcoming banquet and a few visits to the research site. A collaborator from the institute may be assigned to the project, but access to materials and other resources is controlled by the local foreign affairs office.
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From page 78... ...
You must always be sensitive to the difficulties and requirements of working within such a system and remember that it is important to avoid statements or actions that might jeopardize future requests. In most cases the foreigner's arrangements for activities outside the danwei, such as travel and housing, are taken care of by the foreign affairs office of the parent organization.
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From page 79... ...
For example, supporting a foreigner whose project depends on sensitive data or threatens bureaucratic integrity may be seen as setting a precedent for future unwanted intrusions. American scientists working on projects in earthquake prediction, cancer research, and nuclear science—all fields that have held a high priority in China despite institutional disruption during the Cultural Revolution have been well received by Chinese colleagues eager to make their own work known to the West.
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From page 80... ...
Success also depends on how well one's Chinese colleagues understand why certain materials and work in the field are necessary to solve the key problem. Important data have been collected and trips to the field effectively organized and profitable, but according to one researcher, his colleagues' enthusiasm for gathering material was directly related to their understanding of why it was necessary.
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From page 81... ...
has aided scholars working in Shang and Qin-Han history because its departments are strong in those areas; Beida is also strong on May Fourth literature. Recent experience has shown that working on a widely admired text or literary work can generate enthusiasm from Chinese colleagues.
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From page 82... ...
10) Gaining access to contemporary writers is more difficult, but as a graduate student studying satire in contemporary Chinese fiction points out in China Exchange News, it is possible for the foreign scholar, by virtue of his or her unique status.
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From page 83... ...
Chinese scholars themselves did not have a clear picture of their intellectual and academic world, for they had lost touch with their own colleagues in the Cultural Revolution years. Recently, however, numerous conferences and less-formal gatherings have brought scholars together.
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From page 84... ...
These talks can prove useful for both sides: they enable the foreigner to establish his or her credentials and research interests while bringing Chinese colleagues up to
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From page 85... ...
The organization of the research team varies, but usually a member of the host unit directs the activity of assistants. Virtually every American conducting research in China has expressed gratitude for the competence and cooperative spirit of his or her Chinese colleagues.
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From page 86... ...
Work-related travel that takes the foreigner to out-of-the-way places (for instance, remote Buddhist caves or mountaintops) might meet with some resistance; Chinese colleagues often worry about foreigners having to deal with inadequate accommodations, dangerous transportation, and possible illness in such locations.
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From page 87... ...
Reading through the reports of CSCPRC-sponsored distinguished scholars and consultants for the Chinese University Development Project, and judging from the experiences of American scholars who have offered short courses for other academic organizations, it seems that the intense pace characterizing the final month of a long-term stay in China often is replicated in shorter visits. Although the short-term visitor does not have the opportunity to develop firsthand experience with the inner workings of professional and personal life in China, many scholars report that precisely because they are not permanent fixtures, Chinese colleagues are more open to frank conversation and serious collaborative work and more willing to help with logistical arrangements.
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From page 88... ...
Work tends to slow down in the hottest summer months and in the dead of winter. Some Americans have observed that summer is not a good time for academic business because major Chinese cities are overrun with other foreigners, who strain the resources of Chinese hosting organizations, and are virtually devoid of Chinese scholars, who use the vacation months to travel abroad.
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From page 89... ...
In the words of a recent grantee: "If I had it to do over again, I would invest a lot more time than I did before going to China in specifying exactly what I wanted on my schedule and, most importantly, corresponding directly with those institutions and individuals I wanted to visit, thus avoiding some of the lateral communications problems which existed despite the good intentions of my host." Even with elaborate advance preparations, some fine-tuning of the schedule usually occurs the first working day after your arrival, in consultation with colleagues from the host unit and the foreign affairs officer in charge of your visit. This is the time to point out any potential problems the most common being that too much tourism and not enough substantive academic content has been planned.
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From page 90... ...
Sometimes it is all too obvious that they have been assigned to the foreign scholar for more practice in English and an exposure to methodology. Reports from returned scholars indicate that some interpreters were not at all functional in English, a difficult situation for all concerned.
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From page 91... ...
And one senior scholar was quite disheartened that his lecture series for graduate students was not well attended; apparently, students were busy with other activities and had no time for a course that was not given for credit. If the school hosting the lecture or seminar wants the course to be graded, you should consult carefully with other teachers, assistants, and interpreters to be certain that any tests are comprehensible to students.
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From page 92... ...
Experience indicates that you should go to China prepared to speak generally about current debates, methodology, and new research in your field. Formal U.S.-China scholarly exchange has now operated for more than seven years, but American academics still find their Chinese colleagues eager for new information and materials.
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From page 93... ...
This is unfortunate for most Chinese are very loath to visit here." Ironically, serious students sometimes find it less difficult to adjust to Chinese customs than to the habits of other foreigners, many of whom are younger and considerably more carefree than the average American exchange student. One student eloquently describes life in the Shaoyuan Guesthouse at Beijing University, which houses between 250 and 300 foreign students and several foreign experts, researchers, and visitors: "Living in small rooms close together and sharing communal facilities means interaction with neighbors who are from all parts of the world.
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From page 94... ...
Most American students who have lived with Chinese roommates or have made friends on campus feel that they have been allowed glimpses into intimate corners of Chinese life that would never have been possible without the sustained contact and shared experience of student life. Many American students agree that simply coping with daily life may well be the most frustrating, but in the end, the most valuable part of their experience.
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From page 95... ...
But many others become so disenchanted with classes that they believe they can learn more outside the classroom. It was problems like these that conditioned the response of the "system" and individual teachers to the new waves of American students who entered China after normalization of relations with the United States.
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From page 96... ...
China is no different, and many recent reports from graduate students mention the problems of being taken seriously by Chinese advisers. One woman states that the teachers at Beida (Beijing University)
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From page 97... ...
Thus, they may go to great lengths to encourage and facilitate research." Despite difficulties and stalemates, American students in the past seven years have had remarkable success in their research. Students have worked on archeological digs, traced the footpaths of the ancient poets, joined opera troops, lived with minority peoples, labored in silk factories, mined the Ming-Qing archives, recorded Taoist performances on site, and presented papers at conferences; but most importantly, many have forged lasting ties with Chinese advisers and fellow students.
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From page 98... ...
(China Exchange News, June 1986, p.
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From page 99... ...
In fact, many student reports mention the ill health of their Chinese colleagues as a factor in losing work time. COURSEWORK There is no formal registration process for foreign students attending Chinese institutions.
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From page 100... ...
But the classes that professors design for their own students offer interesting insights into how particular disciplines are studied in China, as well as the chance to become acquainted with Chinese professors and graduate students. FIELDWORK AND TRAVEL Relatively few American students have been able to conduct genuine fieldwork, but many have traveled extensively, establishing informal contacts along the way.
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From page 101... ...
But the possibilities for this kind of informal contact are far greater for students than for other foreigners and are one of the most enjoyable aspects of the student status. LANGUAGE STUDY Some advanced students elect to take language classes at the university; others opt for making their own arrangements with a tutor or trade English lessons for practice in Chinese.
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From page 102... ...
Not only is one subjected to periodic unannounced arrivals of unknown Chinese students or teachers who need help filling out U.S. university application forms, but the language predominately used in the foreign student dorm and cafeteria is almost invariably English.
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From page 103... ...
Be sure to ask about travel arrangements to and from China, whether a trip within the country is included in the fees, how credits are granted and transferred, and whether a content course taught by an American professor is planned. Some cosponsored programs have managed to develop a language curriculum suited to the needs of American students, but the degree to which any outside force can influence the Chinese philosophy of teaching is limited.
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From page 104... ...
Examinations are often prepared by a committee of teachers who work at the same level all first-year teachers are part of a team, for example and are designed to test progress in absorbing materials presented in the basic texts. Chinese teachers complain that American students are often casual about cutting classes and that a single class usually brings together students with very different skills and motivation.
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From page 105... ...
Americans have discovered that the rich mine of unpublished material relevant to their field can be tapped only through personal contacts with Chinese colleagues. A linguist remarks: "There is simply no substitute for direct personal contacts with one's academic colleagues in China.
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From page 106... ...
Those foreigners affiliated with CASS may have little trouble gaining access to the libraries of the various CASS research institutes. But someone in a university might have more trouble using CASS libraries simply because the necessary connection for use must be made between auton
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From page 107... ...
Strict rules that are given to the newcomer govern the use of these facilities, which have only gradually opened to foreigners. A graduate student who successfully used the No.
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