ZGBriefs – The Week’s Top Picks, September 11 Issue
Soft power, subways, and cell phones – our favorite stories of this week.
Chinese Culture
Latest
Eastern Versus Western Learning Approaches
Cultural Foundations of Learning: East and West by Jin Li.
Reviewed by Lisa Nagle
There are deep cultural differences between Eastern and Western societies regarding learning and development. The notion of whether creativity is learned or not is just one of these. This book explores some of the differing approaches to learning found in these cultures and concludes with a look at them in the twenty-first century.
Preparing for Chinese Culture
This practical exposition includes discussions regarding ways of thinking about culture, first encounters between Americans and Chinese as well as verbal and non-verbal communication. Four stages of awareness as one progresses through understanding culture are explored along with an explanation of the importance of context.
Convergence or Divergence?
Japanese-American scholar Fukuyama introduced the notion of "the end of history," proporting that the world was now one and history should come to an end. Others have claimed that globalization has "leveled the playing field." And yet others view globalization quite differently. The real question is how we should view the changes in China's culture and its influence in light of the globalization of the economy during the last thirty years.
A New Appreciation for a Genuine Understanding of People and Culture
China: Ancient Culture, Modern Society by Peter Xiaoming Yu and G. Wright Doyle.
Reviewed by Tricia Bølle
The China beyond Bicycles and Baozi*
China Vignettes: An Inside Look at China by Dominic Barton with Mei Ye.
Reviewed by Andrew Kaiser
Peeking beneath the Surface
An Introduction to the Mainland Chinese Soul, LEAD Consulting.
Reviewed by Kay Danielson