research topics

[clay dube]

Let's use this section of the forum to brainstorm on possible research projects. Review some of the broad topics raised in the syllabi. You aren't committing to anything now, just trying to come up with interesting and practical questions to explore during your time in Shanghai.

[clay dube]

Some students may wish to investigate the role of the net in Chinese social, economic, and political life. While most Chinese are not online, the net is definitely changing China. Take a look at these articles about chat rooms:

BMW driver gets off with light sentence after killing one and injuring twelve
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=6006

Miyun Lantern Festival stampede
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=7393
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=7392

Foreign Minister chats via the net
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=5783

Two Harvard profs have a site to permit you to test Chinese access to specific websites.

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/filtering/china/test/
[Edit by="Clay Dube on May 14, 6:01:16 AM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

Pirate dvds and cds, foreign shows on television, bowling, and ? How has globalization affected the consumption and production of mass entertainment?

I've attached a poster reflecting a recent example of Western entertainment reaching Shanghai. What did Chinese reviewers say about Ms. Houston's concert?

[clay dube]

How is globalization affecting food production and consumption? Check out the attached photo from a snack bar at the site of the Qin dynasty terra-cota warriors near Xi'an.

[clay dube]

Place names are fascinating things. How many know the origins of the name California?

A Chinese town recently lobbied for and won the right to rename itself. That's striking since China is a place where having been called something for a long time is a source of pride (why do the Shanghai license places use the character "hu"?). What is even more amazing is that this place came up with a name from an English novel. I recently visited Xianggelila in Yunnan province and found it fascinating. The novel, Lost Horizon, by James Hilton was turned into a successful film by the same name. In it a plane carrying Westerners has to land in an isolated paradise: Shangri-La.

The town, previously called Zhongdian, fought to get this name, mindful that tourist money would certainly follow. Please take a look at the attached article on the name change.

What does this suggest about the importance of global images to China today? What does it say about the importance of tourism to the Chinese economy?

[clay dube]

Attached is a picture from the Xianggelila airport. Note that they know where the money is -- they don't use the romanization of the Chinese characters, but rather use the "English" name Shangri-La.

[clay dube]

I have attached a photo of a baggage cart at the Kunming (Yunnan province) airport. Note the symbol the advertisers used for this golf course.

The construction of golf courses continues at a rapid rate in China and several other Asian nations. Here is a stark decision -- rather than using the land for food production, it is now used for luxury recreation. What does this change represent?

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