Session Information
Contribution
TopicThe Reception of Foreign Educational Thought in Modern China: A Study of the Essays Appearing in the Educational Journal, 1909-1948 AbstractIn this research project I investigate the introduction of foreign educational thought into modern China. Looking at the China's own cultural-historical constitution against the background of a modernizing West (or global world-society), I will attempt to show how and why scholars in an emerging modern China selected particular foreign ideas and brought them into their own academic educational discourse, and how these foreign ideas impacted on modern China's educational practice.The research framework is based upon N. Luhmann's self-referential systems theory, especially (1) the operation of self-reference in terms of binary opposites, especially self/other and inclusion/exclusion, and (2) the contingent selection of particular modes/forms of thought/knowledge out of a wider background range (or "world horizon") of possibilities.First, I will take certain important events (e.g. the founding of the Republic of China and the two world wars) in both China and the world polity as a frame of reference. Second, I will divide the articles in the educational journal into two groups: journal articles referring to foreign and to Chinese educational thinking/knowledge. The basic distinction here is between "Chinese" and "Western." Third, I will divide the articles referring to Chinese educational knowledge into two groups again: those dealing with already-Westernized Chinese knowledge and those dealing with traditional Chinese knowledge. Furthermore, each of these categories may be further classified into "educational thought" and "educational practice." Analyzing the nature and frequency of citations will aid me in making the above classification and in comparing the relative frequency (relative percentages) of the various categories. My main source for analyzing this complex reception process is the Jaoyu Zhazhi (????, 1909-1948), an important, long-running and widely-disseminated Chinese educational journal. I will also use other Chinese educational journals such as Jaoyu Shijie (????,1901-1908) and Zhunghua Jaoyujie (?????,1912-1950), indexes such as "The Catalog for Publications in the Republic of China,1911-1949" (Minguo Shiqi Zongshumu???????), historical documents and results of relevant research projects. The pattern (direction, trend) of reception of foreign educational thought in China depended upon the cultural-historical background of Chinese and world society and the communication network between and among Chinese scholars and foreign educators. It influenced educational theory and practice in modern China, e.g. the building of educational institutions, formulation of educational policies, and constitution of educational thought. There is also a clear pattern of mutual influence between modern Chinese educational thought and educational practice.Wu, Meiyao et al, eds. (2006). Index for the Educational Journal (1909-1948). Taipei: Center for the Study of East Asian Civilizations, Prof. Fu-Ming Chia Educational Fund Wu, Meiyao (2005) "Reconstructing the 1934-1937 Debate over Modern China's Philosophy of Education." Bulletin of Education Research No. 51. Taipei: Higher Education Publishing, pp. 27-51 Luhmann, Niklas (1984). Soziale Systeme: Grundriß einer allgemeinen Theorie. Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp.Luhmann, Niklas (1997). Die Gesellschaft der Gesellschaft. 2 Bde. Frankfurt a.M.:Suhrkamp. Luhmann, Niklas (2002) .Das Erziehungssystem der Gesellschaft. Frankfurt a.M.:Suhrkamp Verlag. Baraldi,C.,Corsi,G..&Esposito,E. (1997). GLU Glossar zu Niklas Luhmanns Theorie sozialer Systeme. Frankfurt a.M.:Suhrkamp Verlag.
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