IN PERSON: This course explores the experiences of nine Western advisers in China, spanning several centuries. The individuals include: two 17th-century Jesuit astronomers (one German, one Belgian); a 19th-century Protestant missionary-physician and a soldier-for-hire from New England; an English sinologist-missionary; a Russian Jewish Communist sent by Lenin in the 1920s; and three influential WWII-era military officers (Chennault, Stillwell, and Wedemeyer). We will examine their motivations, expectations, and the outcomes of their missions, with a focus on how their Chinese counterparts responded to Western attempts to engage with China. Key aspects of Chinese culture and history will be discussed. Students will read an average of 28 pages per session and will be expected to actively participate in facilitated class discussions. | Lecture + Q&A, Facilitated discussion.
Max enrollment: 20.
Location: Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Rd, Durham NC 27705
