每周概要

  • 课程简介 Course Description

    Course Description:

    This course aims at equipping students intellectually to approach the Chinese culture in comparison with its Western counterparts. To better understand the Chinese culture requires an inter-cultural perspective. What is China like? What are the Chinese people like? What are they thinking about? Why do they do what they do? What are the primary assumptions for understanding this country and its people? This course will tell you, with interesting examples, things you need to know about China and the Chinese people which you would not easily find in textbooks. Different topics in this course illuminate the differences and similarities between Chinese culture and Western culture in terms of values, customs, traditions, mindsets, cultural and artistic representations, interpersonal relationships, communication styles, etc. In the form of seminar, this course provides students with not only information but also fresh insights and perspectives.


  • 教学大纲 syllabus

    课程网站

    Program: China Studies, SISU

    Language of Instruction: English

    Instructor: Roy Gu (Associate Professor, School of English Studies, SISU)

    (Email: kindleyourheart@126.com)

     

    Course Description:

    This course aims at equipping students intellectually to approach the Chinese culture in comparison with its Western counterparts. To better understand the Chinese culture requires an inter-cultural perspective. What is China like? What are the Chinese people like? What are they thinking about? Why do they do what they do? What are the primary assumptions for understanding this country and its people? This course will tell you, with interesting examples, things you need to know about China and the Chinese people which you would not easily find in textbooks. Different topics in this course illuminate the differences and similarities between Chinese culture and Western culture in terms of values, customs, traditions, mindsets, cultural and artistic representations, interpersonal relationships, communication styles, etc. In the form of seminar, this course provides students with not only information but also fresh insights and perspectives.

     

    Readings:

     

    Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics

     

    Lin Yutang, My Country and My People

     

    Lu Hsun, Chosen Pages from Lu Hsun

     

    Yiyun Li, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

     

    requirements:

    This is a seminar course, which means each student will contribute to each week’s discussion. Each student will also give a 15 minutes presentation which compares his/her own culture and the Chinese culture. A final project will be due in the last class.

    The grade for the courses will be based on three components:

    Contribution to class discussions (40%)

    A presentation (20%)

    The final project (40%).

     

     

     

    GRADING SCALES:

    Quantitative Scale

    A+: 98-100%

    A: 93-97%

    A-: 90-92%

    B+: 87-89%

    B: 83-86%

    B-: 80-82%

    C+: 77-79%

    C: 73-76%

    C-: 70-72%

    D+: 67-69%

    D: 63-66%

    D: 60-62%

    F: 59% and below

     

     

    Qualitative Scale

    A range: Excellent. Consistently outstanding performance throughout the semester, with plus grades being reserved for superior work that surpasses all standards listed in the course syllabus.

    B range: Good. A solid performance that is above average yet may also contain notable errors or shortcomings.

    C range: Satisfactory. An average performance wherein the minimum criteria listed in the course syllabus have been achieved.

    D range: Minimal pass. Work is seriously deficient in multiple areas: thought, writing, attendance, participation, etc.

    F: Failure. Work that fails to meet the minimum criteria in all aspects.

     

    Weekly Schedule

     (Readings should be completed before class.)

     

    Week 1/ Mar. 4: Introduction: Understanding China with Intercultural Perspectives

     

    Week 2/ Mar. 11: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (I): “Face” and Beyond

     

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 1-6.

     

     

    Week 3/ Mar. 18: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (II): Flexibility and Contextualization

     

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 7-12,

    Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. I.

     

    Week 4/ Apr. 1Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (III): Group vs. Individual

     

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 13-18,

                        Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. III, IV.

     

    Week 5/ Apr. 15: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (IV): Survival Mechanisms

     

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 19-22,

                  Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. II.

     

    Week 6/ Apr. 22: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (V): Filial Piety

     

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 23-27,

                        Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. V, VI.

     

    Week 7/ May 6: Understanding Cultural Clashes (I)

     

    Discussion about the film The Joy Luck Club (I)

     

    Week 8/ May 13Understanding Cultural Clashes (II)

     

    Discussion about the film The Joy Luck Club (II)

     

    Week 9/ May 19:  Field trip (“Internship program”): Getting to know the Chinese people and their lives

     

     

    Week 10/ Jun. 10: Understanding the Chinese Spirit (I)

     

    Readings: Lu Hsun, Chosen Pages from Lu Hsun, pp. 1-165.

     

    Week 11/ Jun. 17: Understanding the Chinese Spirit (II)

     

    Readings: Lu Hsun, Chosen Pages from Lu Hsun, pp. 166-315.

     

    Week 12/ Jun. 24: Contemporary Chinese Mindset vs. the West

     

    Readings: Yiyun Li, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

     

    Final project due.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Presentation

    My Culture and the Chinese Culture: Differences and Similarities

    Each student will do a 15-minute presentation which compares the Chinese culture with his/her own culture. At least five differences and three similarities need to be mentioned. The presentation should be analytical, offering sound arguments based on facts. The presenter needs to pay special attention to variations in his/her own culture.

     

    Final Project

    Growing up in China: What Does It Mean?

    Each student will interview three Chinese people from different backgrounds, and write an in-depth report which illustrates the lived experience of these people. An intercultural perspective is needed.

     

    Field Trip

    Getting to Know the Chinese People and Their Lives

    Students of this course will visit the Songjiang campus where they will have the opportunity to meet and talk with SISU’s undergraduate students. Most probably they will be invited to a freshman classroom, where an intercultural gathering will take place. Each student will introduce themselves, and then one Chinese student and one foreign student will respectively describe their lives. Then they will be divided into small groups and have some in-depth discussions about their experience in different cultures. This will give students a valuable intercultural arena where they can practice communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds.


  • 教师简介 About the Lecturer


    顾悦,男,1985年生,文学博士,上海外国语大学英语学院副教授,教育部博士学术新人,上海市晨光计划学者,上海外国语大学十大人气公选课教师,兼任教育部区域国别研究中心英国研究中心研究人员、英华人文艺术中心主任、上海市英语中高级口译资格证书考试考官。

    教育经历:

    2003年毕业于南京外国语学校,保送北京外国语大学英语学院。2007年本科毕业后保送至南京大学外国语学院英语系。2008年入选富布莱特基金项目赴香港中文大学短期学习。2009年提前获得硕士学位,并免试攻读博士。2010-2011年获国家留学基金委全额资助,赴美国加州大学伯克利分校(University of California, Berkeley)进行博士联合培养。2012年获得文学博士学位。

    研究方向:

    英美文学(尤其是二十世纪美国文学)研究,西方文艺理论研究,艺术学研究,当代英美文化研究,人文教育研究,比较文学与跨文化研究,等。

    学术成果:

    在《暨南学报》、《当代外国文学》、《外国文学动态》、《英美文学研究论丛》、《江苏社会科学》、《南京社会科学》等CSSCI期刊发表论文十余篇;主要代表作有《当代西方文学理论与文学阅读的情感回归》(《人大复印资料·文艺理论》2012年第一期全文转载)、《超越精神分析:家庭系统心理学与文学批评》、《论<喜福会>中的创伤记忆与家庭模式》、《英美文学传统与清教渊源》、《文学的未来与文学理论的出路》、《尼克松时期美国小说中的家庭系统》、《论奥登的文学思想》、《构建当代美国文学的新经典》、《厄普代克与欲望记忆书写中的审美情趣》、《西方传统中的原型批评与安徒生童话的圣经原型》、《耻感文化中的罪感精神》、《归回文学的情感本质》、《当代爱尔兰文坛的诗化小说家》、《好莱坞福音电影与当代美国福音派复兴》、《音乐与文学的重新相遇:评<伦纳德·科恩的诗与歌>》等。

    主编教材《美国电影概览》,参编《英国社会与文化》(高等教育“十一五”国家规划级教材)。

    译著《爱》(诺贝尔文学奖获得者托妮·莫里森著)、《昆恩的寂静世界》、《非洲短篇小说选集》(合译)等。

    主持省部级课题两项(上海市社会科学规划课题青年项目、上海市“晨光计划”人才资助项目),厅级课题一项(江苏省普通高校研究生科研创新计划立项),校级课题一项(上海外国语大学一般科研项目)。参与国家社科基金重大课题一项、国家社科基金规划课题一项。

    教学情况:

         教授本科生课程:“基础英语”、“英语语音”、“英美长篇小说赏析”、“文学阅读与创意写作”、“古典音乐与西方文化”(通识教育课程);研究生课程:“文化研究:理论与实践”(合授)、“英国历史与文化专题研究” (合授)、“中英中美文学关系”(合授);留学生课程:“中国文化概论”(合授);“中国学”硕士项目课程:“中西文化比较”(主讲)。

    2013年被选为上海外国语大学“十大人气公选课教师”(票数第一)。

    主持上海外国语大学2014年课程建设基金项目古典音乐与西方文化

    积极参与推进英语专业教学改革,兼任英华人文艺术中心主任。

    获奖情况:

    教育部博士研究生学术新人奖,江苏省优秀硕士学位论文,南京大学优秀博士学位论文,新经典翻译大赛英文组第一名(唯一获得二等奖者,一等奖空缺),江苏省外国文学研究生学术论坛学术论文一等奖,南京大学“交通控股”奖学金,南京大学“优秀研究生”、“优秀研究生标兵”,北京外国语大学“最佳社团负责人”等。

    其它经历:

    就读北京外国语大学期间,创立北外古典音乐协会(迅速当选为北京市高校优秀社团北外最佳社团),创建北外历史上第一支西洋乐团,第一支民乐团,举办第一场学生音乐会,获得较大社会影响。

    从事小说、诗歌、民谣等创作,并多次获奖。

    曾在Tedx发表演讲,并在国内多所高校主讲西方古典音乐、欧美文学与文化、人文教育、英语学习、中国文化等方面讲座。

    联系方式:royguyue@126.com

     

     

    GU Yue

     

    Dr. GU Yue (Roy Gu) is Associate Professor in the School of English Studies at Shanghai International Studies University. He specializes in 20th Century American literature, literary theory, comparative literature, and intercultural studies. He received his B.A. from Beijing Foreign Studies University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English and American literature from Nanjing University. In 2010-2011 he was a visiting researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. He has published widely on topics concerning literary and intercultural studies, and has edited and translated several books, including a textbook on film studies, and a novel by Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison. Dr. Gu has been teaching various courses on literature, intercultural studies, creative writing, classical music, and Chinese culture. He has won several academic and teaching awards, including “China’s New Academic Star” (issued by China’s Ministry of Education) and “Top Ten Most Liked Professors” (Chosen by students).

    Email royguyue@126.com


  • 教学日历 Weekly Schedule

    Weekly Schedule

     (Readings should be completed before class.)

    Week 1/ Mar. 4: Introduction: Understanding China with Intercultural Perspectives

    Week 2/ Mar. 11: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (I): “Face” and Beyond

    Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 1-6.

    Week 3/ Mar. 18: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (II): Flexibility and Contextualization

     Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 7-12,

    Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. I.

     Week 4/ Apr. 1Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (III): Group vs. Individual

     Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 13-18,

                        Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. III, IV.

     Week 5/ Apr. 15: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (IV): Survival Mechanisms

     Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 19-22,

                  Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. II.

     Week 6/ Apr. 22: Chinese Mentality vs. Western Mentality (V): Filial Piety

     Readings: Arthur Smith, Chinese Characteristics, Ch. 23-27,

                        Lin Yutang, My Country and My People, Ch. V, VI.

     Week 7/ May 6: Understanding Cultural Clashes (I)

     Discussion about the film The Joy Luck Club (I)

     Week 8/ May 13Understanding Cultural Clashes (II)

     Discussion about the film The Joy Luck Club (II)

     Week 9/ May 19:  Field trip (“Internship program”): Getting to know the Chinese people and their lives

     Week 10/ Jun. 10: Understanding the Chinese Spirit (I)

     Readings: Lu Hsun, Chosen Pages from Lu Hsun, pp. 1-165.

     Week 11/ Jun. 17: Understanding the Chinese Spirit (II)

     Readings: Lu Hsun, Chosen Pages from Lu Hsun, pp. 166-315.

     Week 12/ Jun. 24: Contemporary Chinese Mindset vs. the West

     Readings: Yiyun Li, Gold Boy, Emerald Girl

     Final project due.


  • 03月25日 - 03月31日

  • 04月1日 - 04月7日

  • 04月8日 - 04月14日

  • 04月15日 - 04月21日

  • 04月22日 - 04月28日

  • 04月29日 - 05月5日

  • 05月6日 - 05月12日

  • 05月13日 - 05月19日

  • 05月20日 - 05月26日