Chinese Studies Research Day 24 November 2006

Chinese Studies Research Day 24 November 2006

Chinese Studies Research Group Research Day 24 November 2006
Venue: Tutorial / Committee Room, Ground Floor, Baillieu Library

Program:
10:30 -10:45 registration and morning tea

10:45 - 11:30
Topic: Doing fieldwork (in comparative philosophy)
Speaker: Ji Zhang, Ph D, Asia Institute / Department of Philosophy

11:30 - 12:15 pm
Topic: Religion in Maonan nationality
Speaker: Tianqiao Lu, Ph D Candidate, Asian Institute

12:15 - 1:00
Topic: Identifying Cultural & Theoretical Obstacles to a Creative Approach to the Writing of English for Chinese Students
Speaker: Hong Ye, Ph D Candidate, Faculty of Education


1:00 Early Christmas lunch

Remarks: RSVP to Bick-har Yeung bhy@unimelb.edu.au for catering purpose.

This event is proudly supported by the International Relations Office, the University of Melbourne.

*********************************************************
Details:

10:45 - 11:30
Topic: Doing fieldwork (in comparative philosophy)
Speaker: Ji Zhang, Ph D, Asia Institute / Department of Philosophy

Summary: The presentation will focus on field research. Although in philosophy it is not the norm that research students conduct field trips, Zhang Ji's research at Harvard University, Fudan University, Sichuan University and various historical sites has been one of the richest experiences during his candidature. The presentation will cover three issues.
a) Planning
b) Engaging the scholarship through person contacts and conferences
c) Taking a journey of spontaneous discovery.

11:30 - 12:15 pm
Topic: Religion in Maonan nationality
Speaker: Tianqiao Lu, Ph D Candidate, Asian Institute

Summary: Maonan people is a unique ethnic group in China for whom religion is COMPULSORY, i.e. everyone feels obliged to believe in and hold the votive rituals for some gods, both voluntarily and required by the Maonan society. This also involves a number of taboos which one should pay attention to when talking with Maonan people.

According to Maonan customs, one is supposed to hold a votive ritual in one's lifetime to show gratitude to the Goddess of Birth and the Yao King, which involves the sacrifice of livestock. If he is not able to do so out of economic reasons, his descendents is supposed to inherit the obligation, and the offerings shall be doubled: those from himself added with those from his ancester. If the two previous generations of his ancestors have not done this, the offerings are said to be tripled. This is unique for atheism is not uncommon even in the Western societies.

12:15 - 1:00
Topic: Identifying Cultural & Theoretical Obstacles to a Creative Approach to the Writing of English for Chinese Students
Speaker: Hong Ye, Ph D Candidate, Faculty of Education

Summary:
Topic: Identifying Cultural & Theoretical Obstacles to a Creative Approach to the Writing of English for Chinese Students
Speaker: Hong Ye
Summary:
The call for creativity in education has gained increasing attention among researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in many parts of the world, including China. Writing, the process and product of inquiry into the self and other, can be an unique means to demonstrate and generate creativity. However, writing is at the same time, bound by conventions which imply a right and wrong way of practice. Therefore how to balance the potential opposing demands of creativity and prescription in writing is a much disputed question both in the West and in China. Though Chinese Ministry of Education has repeatedly stressed the importance of creativity in recent years, little research and practice has been generated to foster creativity in the teaching and learning of English writing. What, then, are the obstacles to a creative approach to the writing of English for Chinese students?

This study intends to explore into the problem by identifying the obstacles posed by Chinese cultural and theoretical contexts. The author tends to use qualitative research approach to answer the research question, mainly through conceptual analysis of relevant documents. It is hoped that recognizing the problems may be a step towards the solution, and further discussion about creative teaching and learning of English writing for L2 students can be stimulated hereafter.