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Modern China: the Promise and Challenge of an Emerging Superpower Modern China: The Promise and Challenge of an Emerging Superpower Issue 2, June 2008 Cover Image: © Jessica Greenfield World Savvy Monitor, June 2008 Letter from the Editor Why the World Savvy Monitor? world. Unfortunately, the trend in recent years to nibble at the margins of big, important issues and ideas can produce Many of us have felt it when reading the news headlines apathy, isolation, and pessimism, especially as the problems from global hot spots… that terrible sense that you have of the world come to require complex, truly global solutions. been dropped into the middle of an ongoing story and But with enhanced global awareness, media literacy, and lack the background and context to understand what is critical thinking skills, we can approach today’s challenges unfolding and why it matters. from an informed and empowered place. This is where we Our hearts naturally go out to victims of natural and hope to transport you with the World Savvy Monitor. manmade disasters, warfare and civil strife. Our empathy is often accompanied by a pang of guilt. It seems unkind What is the World Savvy Monitor? to live out our days oblivious to these events, yet who has The Monitor is a synopsis: a “one-stop shop” for complex the time to refresh their knowledge of history, geography, global issues, drawing from hundreds of diverse sources economics, political science, and religion in order to and multiple perspectives. We give you the background appreciate all the nuances of world events and trends? In and context to help you understand the issues deeply, reality, busy schedules make it impossible for most of us to from all sides. The Monitor helps you to participate in the spend time scouring the Internet for information to provide conversation and be comfortable in the gray areas that a wellrounded perspective on global events and issues. characterize world affairs in the 21st century. In the 24/7 news cycle, and with the plethora of information Consider The Monitor an essential primer, a curious global available to us in this digital age, educating yourself on citizens’ guide designed to enhance your consumption of critical world affairs ironically becomes harder, not easier. world news; an accelerant that will transform your use of What sources can be trusted? Where can you even go to get your current news subscriptions or lesson plans. We tell you international news when the American mainstream media what to watch for, why it matters, and how to make sense of is reporting on Paris Hilton? And how can you make the it. most of the international news you consume? How can you translate the information into knowledge, and into Additionally, each topic covered by the Monitor is updated the lessons you teach your students or children about our monthly with breaking news and developments. increasingly interconnected world? A global perspective provides a valuable lens through which we can view ourselves, our leaders, and our place in the Issue 2, June 2008 WORLD SAVVY Page MONITOR World Savvy Monitor, June 2008 How to Use the World Savvy Monitor It is important to note that an entire industry exists to write about China, from Sinologists to “China Hands”: historians, The Monitor has been designed for maximum accessibility journalists, scholars, policy analysts, diplomats, and experts – you can read the entire document from beginning to end of every stripe, in China and in countries all over the world. (which we recommend!), or you can use individual sections Just as China is home to the most people on the planet; its as stand-alone sources of information. It can be read in its modern rise and attendant complexities may be the subject on-line format on our highly navigable web-site, or may be of the most extensive range of study and commentary in downloaded as a PDF. Coming soon is a podcast option. the field of world affairs today. This edition of the Monitor attempts to synthesize the variety of excellent scholarship, Classroom Companions and World Savvy commentary, and perspectives on this enormous topic. Salons In particular, we hope to provide you with a lens with which Once you have a well-rounded perspective on a pressing to view the media surrounding the 2008 Summer Olympic global issue, you will want to engage with others and keep Games in Beijing. We also hope to inspire you to read more, the conversation going. World Savvy is eager to support this and will direct you to experts and resources which informed contagious dialogue, and so each edition of the World Savvy this overview. This edition of the Monitor is designed to be Monitor comes with tools for fostering discussion with your tool for dialogue on this complex subject, as the world students (Classroom Companions) and with peers (World contemplates the implications of China’s rise for its citizens Savvy Salon Guides). and the world. Our Classroom Companion guide is designed for teachers Two quotes summarize the key takeaways for us, after (and parents!) and provides practical ways to integrate examining hundreds of perspectives and attempting to world affairs into curriculum. The Classroom Companion summarize what the average citizen should know and has leveled readings for your students on the topic and understand about China. The first is from Samuel A. possible discussion questions; as well as general lesson ideas Bleicher, who said, “China is, in every sense, a world under and specific curriculum resources for every discipline and construction, with the physical, social, economic, legal, and alignments with national standards. institutional blueprints being drawn and revised daily as the For the curious global citizen, we encourage you to use construction proceeds.” This analysis recognizes and honors the Monitor to bring your co-workers, family, friends and what is often overlooked about China in the narrative neighbors together to discuss important world issues at the provided by the Western media: the modernization of office or the dinner table. Think of the World Savvy Salon as China has been without precedent in history: a country of the book club reinvented. The Monitor comes with a World 1. billion people rising out of isolation and rural poverty Savvy Salon Guide that outlines the benefits of starting a to create an urbanized, economic superpower in the Salon and how to begin. The Salon Guide also contains space of 0 years. The Chinese have largely accomplished possible discussion questions and referrals of books, films, industrialization in a third of the time of most other and web-based resources on the topic. developed countries, and in a media saturated fish bowl. Think of it this way: imagine if there was the 24-hour news Thoughts on This Month’s Edition cycle in the late 1800s as America stumbled along its path to industrialization? We welcome you to the second edition of the World Savvy Monitor, presenting an overview of the important, We are struck by how complex and massive a process enigmatic, and complex country that is modern China. modernization is, and how it generates both a lot of good In broad strokes, we have created a thoughtful global and a lot of bad, as nations struggle to accommodate the citizen’s guide to China’s history, its psyche, its systems, its upheaval of change with systems and policies. This does contradictions, and its challenges as this ancient civilization not excuse the excesses and abuses in China, but suggests continues its ascent to considerable power on the 21st that we should examine our Western assumptions about the century world stage. root of these excesses and abuses. Viewing China as a work Issue 2, June 2008 WORLD SAVVY Page 4 MONITOR World Savvy Monitor, June 2008 in progress might cause us to reflect differently on China’s This edition leads us to again recognize and appreciate the leaders and their intentions; and inspire us to learn more shades of gray that characterize world affairs today. China, about the pressures China faces today. Ultimately, China with its mosaic of successes and failures, can be viewed faces many of the same challenges the world as a whole as many things by many different people. We hope this faces. month’s Monitor helps you to think critically about China – how and why the Chinese government pursues its policies, The second quote is from Peter Hessler, a journalist who how the Chinese people see themselves, and why modern has written extensively about his experiences living and China has not followed a familiar historical trajectory in the working in China; most recently in his 2007 book, Oracle process of modernization. Informed dialogue about China Bones, and in the May edition of National Geographic. He should reflect an appreciation of time, history, psychology, sums up the opinion of many experts when he says simply, and culture, and of the sheer numbers that magnify the “No one should criticize China without taking a good look challenges and opportunities confronting this rapidly in the mirror.” His point is well taken; when considering the changing nation. West’s critique of China, it is important to understand the contradictions and hypocrisies in all countries’ narratives. World Savvy We leave you with a technical disclaimer. Statistical World Savvy staff edit and produce the World Savvy Monitor. information about China is tricky to obtain, for numerous Our mission is to educate and engage youth in community reasons. First, the recent explosion in scholarship and and world affairs by providing educational programs and journalism about China has produced sets of statistics that services. World Savvy’s vision for the future is one in which are quoted and re-quoted, and, often misquoted, often all members of society are well informed about contemporary without attribution to their original source.
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