Events

ABSTRACT

‘The China Dream’ is a hot topic since China’s new president Xi Jinping adopted it as the PRC’s new slogan. The seminar will consider how this concept emerged in the past few years to explain how China should convert its growing economic power into political and cultural influence around the globe. But rather than defining a singular ‘China Dream’, Callahan’s book gives voice to China’s many different futures by exploring the grand aspirations and deep anxieties of a broad group of public intellectuals. Stepping outside the narrow politics of officials vs. dissidents, he examines what a third group—”citizen intellectuals”—think about China’s future. China Dreams thus eavesdrops on fascinating conversations between officials, scholars, soldiers, bloggers, novelists, film-makers and artists to see how they describe China’s different political, strategic, economic, social and cultural futures. At the seminar, Callahan will discuss how Xi Jinping’s China Dream relates to citizen intellectuals’ various China dreams.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

William A. Callahan is Chair in International Politics at the University of Manchester, and will take up a Professorship of International Relations at the London School of Economics in September 2013. As visiting research professor at Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore (2012-2013), he examines how Chinese and Indian elites are thinking about ‘The Asian Century’. He is the author of China: The Pessoptimist Nation (Oxford University Press) and Contingent States (University of Minnesota Press).

The seminar will be followed by a Book Launch and the Opening Address will be given by Prof Prasenjit Duara, Asia Research Institute, and Office of Deputy President (Research and Technology), National University of Singapore.

China Dreams: 20 Visions of the Future

BOOK SYNOPSIS

After celebrating their country’s three decades of fantastic economic success, many Chinese are now asking, “What comes next?”    How can China convert its growing economic power into political and cultural influence around the globe?

William A. Callahan’s China Dreams gives voice to China’s many different futures by exploring the grand aspirations and deep anxieties of a broad group of public intellectuals. Stepping outside the narrow politics of officials vs. dissidents, Callahan examines what a third group–“citizen intellectuals”–think about China’s future. China Dreams eavesdrops on fascinating conversations between officials, scholars, soldiers, bloggers, novelists, film-makers and artists to see how they describe China’s different political, strategic, economic, social and cultural futures. Callahan also examines how the PRC’s new generation of twenty- and thirty-somethings is creatively questioning “The China Model” of economic development. The personal stories of these citizen intellectuals illustrate China’s zeitgeist and a complicated mix of hopes and fears about “The Chinese Century,” providing a clearer sense of how the PRC’s dramatic economic and cultural transitions will affect the rest of the world.

China Dreams explores the transnational connections between American and Chinese people, providing a new approach to Sino-American relations. While many assume that 21st century global politics will be a battle of Confucian China vs. the democratic west, Callahan weaves Chinese and American ideals together to describe a new “Chimerican dream.”

REGISTRATION

Admission is free and all are welcome. We would greatly appreciate if you RSVP to Jonathan at jonathan.lee@nus.edu.sg indicating your name, email, organisation/affiliation and contact number.