Talking Points, May 21 - June 4, 2008
The USC U.S.-China Institute's weekly e-newsletter
Release Date: 05/21/2008
Talking Points
May 21 - June 4, 2008
Last week we extended our deepest sympathies to those in China who lost loved ones or were trying to make do in the aftermath of the May 12th earthquake. Today we reaffirm those sympathies, but also assert our admiration for those who have struggled to save lives, care for the injured, reunite the lost, and provide for the dislocated. Over the weekend 158 of these rescue workers were buried in a mudslide.
Many in Southern California remember the challenges imposed by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. That quake registered 6.7 on the Richter scale, took 72 lives and caused $12.5 billion in damages. The 7.8 quake which struck Sichuan province on May 12 was 11 times more powerful than the Northridge quake. More than 40,000 are confirmed dead and another 40,000 are buried in debris or are missing. Millions are homeless. The immediate and long-term challenges are staggering, though the determination and inventiveness of survivors and aid workers is inspiring. Hundreds of millions of dollars has already been donated or pledged by ordinary people, corporations, and foreign governments. Much more will be needed. Those wishing to contribute can find a list of agencies willing and able to put your gift to work at: http://china.usc.edu.
China’s government and people marked this tragedy in unprecedented fashion. The national flag has been flying at half-mast since Monday. Three days of formal mourning began at 2:28 pm Monday, exactly one week since the quake struck. Across the country, people stopped and contemplated the loss. During this period, websites have been redesigned with black and white color schemes and entertainment features turned off. Web companies were told, “All news portals and commercial portals are to organize online mourning campaigns that allow for participation by netizens, and should reflect the grief and patriotism of netizens in an all-round manner.”
***
Don’t miss the just-opened exhibition "Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of the First Emperor." This Bowers Museum show is the largest exhibit of Emperor Qin's terra cotta army ever seen outside of China. Next week, MOCA curator Rebecca Morse will be at UCLA discussing her work to foster increased awareness of China’s new art scene.
K-12 teachers living 30 miles or more from USC are invited to apply for our Summer Residential Institute from July 28-31 and August 4-7. USCI provides free housing and tuition for this seminar. This residential program aims to serve teachers who live too far away to participate in one of the four East Asia and New Media seminars we offer during the academic year. Teachers completing seminar requirements earn a stipend, receive teaching materials, and become eligible for continuing education units and a subsidized summer study tour to East Asia. Teachers interested in these programs can learn more at the K-12 curriculum section of our website.
Please share Talking Points with friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Best wishes,
The USC U.S.-China Institute
USC Events
05/22/2008: Comparative Reflections on Embodied Virtue, Performance and Competition in China and Greece
Stanford Building 250, Room 211, Palo Altos, CA
Cost: Free
Time: 4:15PM - 5:30PM
Stanford University presents a talk with UC Riverside's Lisa Raphals.
05/28/2008: Dating but Not Married: Southeast Asian Security Responses to the Rise of China
Stanford University
Okimoto Conference Room, Encina Hall East, 3rd Floor
Cost: Free
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
This seminar will explore some of the nuances in Southeast Asian "hedging" strategies.
05/28/2008: Collecting Contemporary Chinese Art
Stanford University
Philippines Room, Encina Hall, 3rd Floor , Stanford, CA
Cost: Free
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
A talk by Rebecca Morse (Assistant Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles)
05/30/2008: The May 2008 US-China Insurance Dialogues
Stanford University
Philippines Room, Encina Hall, 3rd Floor , Stanford, CA
Cost: Free
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
John Morrison will give an overview of Sino-US cooperation on social insurance regulation with a focus on health policy, as one window into Sino-US relations on the verge of the Olympics.
05/30/2008-05/31/2008: China Undisciplined
UCLA 11381 Bunche Hall, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free
Phone: (310) 825-8683
An interdisciplinary graduate student conference celebrating the creative spaces that arise in the (de)construction of "China"
North America Events:
05/19/2008 - 05/30/2008: China Institute
Honolulu, Hawaii
This two-week institute on China will focus on Chinese philosophy, history and cultural traditions and contemporary issues concerning the environment, politics and socio-economic development.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please invite others to subscribe to USCI’s free email newsletter for regular updates on events and programs. We will not share names or email addresses with any other entity. Sign Up.
We provide information about China-related events as a community service. If you would like your event considered for inclusion in the USCI calendar, please click here to submit event details.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
USC U.S. – China Institute
3535 S. Figueroa St.
FIG 202
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1262
Tel: 213-821-4382
Fax: 213-821-2382
You have received this e-mail because you have subscribed to receive updates from USCI. If you feel this message has reached you in error or you no longer wish to receive our updates, please click, unsubscribe, and enter "Remove" in the subject line.