China Encounters the World
Peter Perdue, Yale University
Sulmaan Khan, Tufts University
Arne Westad, Yale University
Rana Mitter, University of Oxford
Zaib Aziz, University of South Florida
EverScholar in Boston
November 2-5, 2023
Boston and Cambridge, MA
$2295 per person
In this course, we will discuss intensively cultural and political interactions beween China and the West in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. According to a recent estimate, only 350 Americans are now actively studying in China, compared to 15,000 a decade ago. The personal relations of Americans and Chinese have declined to unprecedented lows. International exchanges once seen as sources of mutual understanding now generate fears of security threats on both sides. The foreign policy of states is not made only by diplomats and political leaders; public perceptions always shape policy decisions. Without the “people to people” diplomacy which China and the U.S. used to endorse, serious crises can easily emerge.
In the first half of the twentieth century, by contrast, China and the West engaged in widespread cultural contact. In this period, neither China nor the U.S. held the dominant position in the world that they have today; arguably, this made both countries more open to learning from each other and more aware of global influences that they both shared. Many fascinating personalities sought to bridge the gap between East and West through their travels, writings, and personal influence. In this seminar, we will examine some of the important characters and events that affected Sino-Western relations, by looking at the writings of some of the most colorful personages of the period.
The course will connect current concerns about Chinese foreign relations with the most important underlying themes of modern China: empire, culture, nationalism and geopolitics. By exploring decisions of elites alongside popular conceptions of the identity of the Chinese nation, we expose longer trends that persist beneath day-to-day crises. Every session will use primary historical sources to address our understanding of current events.
Our faculty include specialists on the Qing dynasty, Chinese nationalism, global history, cold war history, and Chinese foreign policy in the Maoist and post-Maoist era. They will not give lectures, but instead ensure that all students participate actively in discussion. They aim to provide stimulating discussions for everyone who participates, and promise to challenge your understanding of how modern China works.
The seminars, with our faculty together in class and outside of class, bring together experts with your fellow EverScholars, a community of intellectually curious and energetic friends old and new. The discussions will go in unexpected directions as we dine together and share questions and insights throughout all the little corners of the days. And even after the course, the EverScholar discussions continue through our online discussion group, our local events, and at reunions organized from time to time. Please join us for this exciting intellectual adventure!
Our Lead Faculty:
Our Guest Faculty:
Readings
All EverScholar courses actually start months before our meeting. After registration, you will receive all books and scholarly articles for the course, and will immerse yourself in great works curated by our faculty. “China Encounters the World” is no exception, with works ranging from contemporaneous writings to great books written by your own EverScholar professors. Primary sources will mix with authoritative texts to produce night after night of joy as you prepare for your return to the life of the mind.
Special Events
One of EverScholar’s unique and most beloved features are our Special Events; sessions at a number of well-known (such as a museum or Art Gallery) or less-known centers of collection and learning. “China Encounters the World” continues this tradition.
Events for this program are anticipated at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and the Harvard Art Museums, with experts guiding us.
Beyond the Classroom
Everything that happens during an EverScholar program is enhanced by the fact that it takes place in a learning-promoting environment.
This program takes place in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Discounted housing has been arranged at a fine Cambridge hotel.
Learn more about the experience!



The course begins with a reception and dinner at the home of Professor Perdue on Thursday…. and ends in late afternoon Sunday. The program cost is $2,295 per person. Deposit is $500 per person. Balance is due on October 1, 2023. Cancellation refund and COVID-19 refund policies are detailed on the registration page – so you can register without worries.
All EverScholar program attendees are required to be fully “up-to-date” on covid vaccination; we also require rapid testing on the day the course begins.
Looking forward to seeing you there!