In early December, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) was blessed with the presence of Dean Yin Xiaohuang of the School of Foreign Studies of Northwestern Polytechnical University. He came to give the 201st lecture in the SUSTech Lecture Series, where he spoke about the new trend of humanities and social sciences, within the context of globalization.
Yin Xiaohuang’s main research focus is transnational studies of the Chinese and Asian-American experience, US-Chinese relations and modern China. He is an advisory member of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and executive director of the China Overseas Exchange Association.
Yin Xiaohuang pointed out that cross-cultural communication is inevitable under globalization. Understanding cross-cultural communication requires an understanding of the similarities, differences and mutual influences of different cultures. He felt that strengthening cross-cultural communication helps to build a humanities and social science system with Chinese characteristics, and the use of foreign languages to tell Chinese stories is important, citing the English translation of the word “Chinese dream” as an example.
Yin Xiaohuang then turned to the development of contemporary American culture, and its relationship to the maturity of humanities and liberal arts studies in the United States. He showed how Native American culture has developed after its separation from the European educational models.
Professor Yin Xiaohuang used the cultural exchanges between China and the West as an example of cross-cultural communications. Those interactions emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence in your own culture in the process of cross-cultural communication. He also discussed the major arguments and important genres of significant influence in the West. This is particularly important in the American academic world and enhanced the audience’s understanding of the current academic background, status quo, and trends in the West.
Yin Xiaohuang emphasized that China should seize its own advantages, develop its cultural soft power, and tell the Chinese story. Chinese scholars in the field of humanities and social sciences should make their own contributions to this end.
Yin Xiaohuang took many questions after his lecture from the faculty members and students in attendance, which he answered.
