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Shane MarkowitzEmily, this seems like it would be a great discussion topic for students. Does art cease to be art if it is produced primarily or even solely for the purpose of perpetuating a country's soft power? If it's directed from above by political circles? What if the goal is profit for a corporation?
There seem to be a lot of parallels here in the discussion between the value of Hollywood vs. independent films. Perhaps we could consider it all art but take into account the different inspirations and motivations that led to the final output.
As regards South Korea specifically, it could be interesting for students to track changes with K-pop over time as it became more globally renowned. How, if at all, did it change and what do those changes reflect?
Shane MarkowitzThe recent news of a crackdown on the Mongolian minority - specifically the curtailing of Mongolian language teaching - has brought me back to this topic. The Chinese government appears to be seeking to reinforce its authority over every nook and cranny at this point and through all mediums possible. https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/chinas-crackdown-on-mongolian-culture/
It is interesting that there has been a uniform and united approach from ethnic Mongolian families and even institutions like the media on this. It seems that this vociferous reaction has even surprised the Chinese government so will it lead to a rare reversal or simply further repression like in Xinjiang?
Shane MarkowitzHaving already incorporated units on East Asia in my World Geography and International Relations courses, my primary aim from the seminar was to deepen and enhance this engagement for students by improving my mastery of content and finding novel ways to teach this content. And the assortment of excellent materials including lectures, readings, live discussions, and forum conversations have helped solidify my own background knowledge and provide inspiration for a variety of activities.
The Crossing Boundaries theme is an element that I have integrated into my World History course through, for example, exploration of the encounters between the Arab and European worlds and between indigenous societies of the “New World” and Europeans. The text from Carr on Asia and the New World, however, will provide a visually stimulating example for students to explore some of the complex webs involved in global exchange and cultural diffusion already in 16th-18th century Americas beyond the self-evident connections.
The content on South Korea’s rising soft power, meanwhile, will provide a constructive supplement to my cultural patterns unit. Students can, for example, research different components of South Korean culture (e.g. dramas, K-Pop, etc…) and explore what these outputs say about the country.
A thematic emphasis on crossing boundaries is indeed a constructive paradigm to think through the world and the different ways that we are, in fact, joined together as global citizens. This is the type of student engagement necessary to decolonize and liberate the curriculum.
Shane MarkowitzThis was a very exciting session and it definitely covered territory that is seldom discussed. I took note of all the music links participants were sharing (thank you!) and would like to play some of them for students next year during our unit on East Asia. This could be a way to provide them some exposure to the topic. I'm curious to see the future direction that modern classical music takes in China and whether it will evolve into something distinct that captures the global imagination like K-Pop from South Korea.
Shane MarkowitzThat's an interesting question, Cervantes. I was please wondering if you could speculate a little on how you'd approach the question? What made you think about the connection between education and K-Pop?
As I recall from my political economy courses, South Korea was one of the so-called "Asian Tigers" that developed based on an import-substitution state-centric model. As the country prospered from all the new industries (E.g. automanufacturing, technology), this revenue has presumably diffused to different institutions (E.g. education and healthcare) and opened up opportunities for youth to take on new career paths like music?
That said, what's interesting now is how the Tik Tok/Youtube economy has created opportunities for performers coming from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. huge boom in India).
Shane MarkowitzThis is an excellent question, Ray! I was wondering this especially regarding classical music that tends to more religious-oriented. Eric Fish, for example, discusses the recent crackdown on proselytization in China and endeavors by the government to gain more control over the teaching of different faiths through state institutions. Would that carry over to works like Handel's Messiah? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25906427-china-s-millennials
Well it turns out that it does based on my Google search. The Economist reports that "singing Handel’s “Messiah” is forbidden in public" and that the government in effect "banned public performances of religious music". https://www.economist.com/china/2017/08/24/in-china-singing-handels-messiah-is-forbidden-in-public
Shane MarkowitzTom, this Vice video on trap culture in Chengdu might interest you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs2zUv98IG4
Initially this scene wasn't particularly nationalistic but it has become more oriented that way. It seems that music artists have figured out that incorporating nationalist tropes provides an avenue to survive/be tolerated by the government. Eric Fish, in China's Millennials, argues that the population is generally drawn to nationalist sentiment, though, due to an emphasis on outside intrusion and exploitation in history education in school and on contemporary interference in the news media. So this could also simply represent the artists tailoring their music to the audience. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25906427-china-s-millennials
More on how Chinese rap artists are modifying lyrics to appeal to Chinese government: https://qz.com/1183806/chinese-rappers-fearful-of-authorities-are-cleaning-up-their-lyrics/
Why hip hop scares the Chinese Communist Party: https://www.economist.com/china/2018/01/25/why-hip-hop-scares-the-chinese-communist-party
Shane MarkowitzThis was an interesting case involving multiple cycles of boundary crossing. Like Tom, I was fascinated by the limits of soft power. The introduction of classical music was, in part, an attempt at starting a conversation that could eventually lead to religious conversion but that largely failed. A question that then arises is: when can soft power, if ever, become a vehicle for deeper identity/value change?
I'm curious to see what happens to the endeavors of Chinese composers to develop music based more on Chinese musical traditions or a blend of influences. There's certainly a more nationalist and inward-looking identity perspective being promoted in the country currently. The target audience for symphonic music tends to be more elite-oriented though and I wonder if this group is as inclined as other segments of the population to buy into nationalist narratives?
Shane MarkowitzHello Ray! I'm still in Bratislava (seventh year coming up). There's really not much diversity at my school at all, unfortunately, as it's not an international school. Been teaching about the Uyghurs for three years now. Another option I began incorporating last year is this article highlighting Uyghur poetry: https://supchina.com/2019/03/06/uyghur-poets-respond-to-the-disappearance-of-their-relatives/
Students can categorize some of the themes that come up in the poems, compare/contrast them, and discuss the poem they empathize most with.
Perhaps a way to bring it home for students is this recent news on the global fashion industry: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/23/virtually-entire-fashion-industry-complicit-in-uighur-forced-labour-say-rights-groups-china
What topics come up in your World History teaching?
Please do feel free to modify any lessons and make them your own!
Shane MarkowitzThese are great Rebecca! China has really expanded this entire propaganda vehicle in recent years and started to employ hip hop stars as a key pillar of these efforts. It seems that if popular music artists want to continue their careers, they need to occasionally produce these videos for the government and promote values that cohere with the visions of Xi Jinping. A central target of these English-language videos is, in fact, the domestic audience even if the lyrics cannot be understood. It is presumed that if material is being produced in English, then China is gaining global respect.
They had this one on the "Two Sessions" which was widely panned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OT1Re6GrSg
More on Two Sessions: https://qz.com/1564366/chinas-two-sessions-meeting-has-a-own-rap-theme-song/
More on how Chinese rap artists are modifying lyrics to appeal to Chinese government: https://qz.com/1183806/chinese-rappers-fearful-of-authorities-are-cleaning-up-their-lyrics/
Why hip hop scares the Chinese Communist Party: https://www.economist.com/china/2018/01/25/why-hip-hop-scares-the-chinese-communist-party
Shane MarkowitzAn engaging discussion - a major question here is how do you build the type of trust and cooperation that Professor Gladney spoke of when there are outstanding issues like what's happening in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong? Notwithstanding the current US administration using China to scapegoat and distract and even promote xenophobic/racist attitudes, is closer cooperation, nonetheless, feasible at the government level even in a less politically motivated administration? We should definitely all hope for more cooperation over the long-term as it means shared rewards that come out of development and education. At the same time, is there a certain point where it morally becomes untenable to pursue economic cooperation over human rights promotion? Is it plausible to prioritize both simultaneously?
One more resource, a really great read on the Uyghur situation (particularly striking in elaborating on how Uyghurs have adopted an entire new vocabularly that involves using euphemisms and metaphors on the reeducation camps): https://livingotherwise.com/2018/07/31/happiest-muslims-world-coping-happiness/
Shane MarkowitzThis was a very stimulating set of resources. I incorporate both the BRI and the Uyghur plight in my classes and will definitely integrate some of the great maps shared in the lectures. The spread of Islam, like Buddhism, is yet another topic that can be examined as part of the Silk Road. This BBC documentary helps draw out some of the points made by Professor Gladney on the importance of this route for the BRI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhb8tfu7m1c
A few of the questions that I explore with my students on BRI include:
Why are countries turning to China for loans to support infrastructure and not to other options?
Why do some analysts call it a "win-win" situation for China? What are criticisms towards the projects?
Why haven't the US and the EU likely invested more into their own BRIs? Should the US and EU invest more in this game?
On Uighurs, this BBC video is helpful for students to understand how they work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmId2ZP3h0c
This Atlantic video also explores the situation of Uyghur refugees living in the US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtYyAP67k60
Uyghur poetry: https://supchina.com/2019/03/06/uyghur-poets-respond-to-the-disappearance-of-their-relatives/
A couple questions:
Is it ethical to purchase goods made in China in light of the plight of Uyghurs and other groups (e.g. Tibet, Hong Kong)?
To what extent do we have a responsibility as a society to intervene to protect oppressed populations when governments like China commit grave abuses against particular minority groups?
I've prepared a couple lessons here:
BRI: https://speciety.wixsite.com/speciety/post/geography-lesson-plan-examining-china-s-new-silk-road
Shane MarkowitzThat's an interesting point regarding respect for local rules and culture. I spent a few months in Myanmar in the past and a recurring annoyance among locals was disrespect shown towards pagodas (e.g. tourists climbing up on pagodas in Bagan to get a better view of the sunset). Bagan even constructed viewing towers to try to dissuade the practice, though tourists still continue to do it anyway. It's also interesting that the practices vary from country to country - while socks, for example, are acceptable generally in Thailand, the requirement in Myanmar is to visit the pagoda barefoot. In Myanmar, in some temples, women are prohibited from entering as well and that's a point of contention among both Burmese women and tourists.
Shane MarkowitzThis was a fascinating exploration of some of the background behind Buddhism and its diffusion in different East Asian countries. There are numerous avenues that could be explored with students. One possibility would be to engage students with comparing/contrasting the dynamics of the spread of Buddhism in various countries and different barriers/facilitating conditions present (e.g. elite opposition to the practice of alms in China, state protection in Japan, filling gaps in Confucianism, traders, etc...). This could potentially be linked to the contemporary era by thinking through how minority religious practices are treated today in our societies. As others have mentioned, another possibility would be to open up a more extension examination of the Silk Road and possible mapping exercises. Students could, furthermore, compare/contrast the predominance of Buddhism in past and present on a map and interrogate historical change over time.
Shane MarkowitzThe live discussion was stimulating and brought forward a number of topics that could be explored with students. I could especially imagine doing an activity in World Geography related to what Professor Dube suggested. This would involve dividing students into groups - each group could be assigned different Korean cultural outputs (e.g. dramas, videos, songs) and the task of developing a report based on these primary sources including the ideas and values expressed in them and what they tell us about the country.
In my International Relations elective, we also spend quite a bit of time on difference sources of influence (e.g. media, education, lobbying). Soft power would be a constructive addition and the South Korea case could illustrate it in a way that connects with students' current interests.
