The cultural construction of Chinese universities based on the perspective of Confucian cultural practice

Culture is a source of national cohesion and creativity. In the context of China's national political orientation and higher education development, it has become increasingly important to address the formation of university campus culture, as both a link to cultural tradition and a basis for educating people in the present. The development of Chinese universities has been influenced on the one hand by Chinese culture, especially Confucian culture, and on the other hand by Western universities. However, the integration of Chinese culture and education in universities has not been ideal. Almost all Chinese universities have transplanted higher education systems from the Western English-speaking world, and most of them have not yet formed their own characteristics in development and governance. Hence the role and nature of traditional practices, and their relationship with Western practices, is a subject of great significance in the evolution of Chinese higher education. This dissertation investigates the practice of Confucian culture in universities in China and reviews the cultural origin, construction and improvement of Chinese universities. This study starts with the concepts of Confucian culture and Chinese university campus culture. It then sets down the methodology, which rests on an interpretive epistemology and constructivist approach. The study combines literature-based research and archival research methods, with qualitative interviews in two universities where understanding of Confucian ideas is relatively advanced: Peking University and Qufu Normal University. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with eight staff from these two institutions. Three levels of coding and text analysis were carried out in relation to the primary data. The study finds that both Chinese and Western practices emphasized similar functions of university education in the development of Chinese universities. However there was also a collision between Confucian family-based working structures and academic independence, and a conflict between Confucian values of moderation and Western ideas of competition and innovation. The study goes on to summarize the role of Confucian cultural practices in Chinese universities, in relation to teaching and learning, the campus environment, and organization and management. Looking at the specific practices of Peking University and Qufu Normal University, it identifies beneficial attempts to integrate Confucian culture into Chinese universities, including the establishment of Confucian research institutes (see Appendix H and I), and the integration of Confucian culture into classes and practical activities. At the same time, it also reflects on a series of problems that have arisen. Some college students have little sense of identity with Confucian culture, and the connection between Confucian culture and the curriculum is not always well established. Finally, based on the above findings, this study discusses how to improve the contribution of Confucian cultural practice in Chinese universities

Religion and Television in Indonesia

This monograph provides a critical overview and assessment of dakwahtainment or Islamic televangelism in post-reform Indonesia. Dakwah is an Indonesian word based on Arabic that means propagation of Islam – a religious duty for all Muslims. This monograph looks at what happens to Islamic propagation when, against the background of an increasingly materialist, consumerist, nihilistic and voyeuristic culture of celebrity that is engulfing Indonesia, it is turned into media entertainment

The Evolution of Modern Business Ethics in Reform China

The social production and evolution of business ethics normativity in China is unknown to the public, of which in the aspect of business associations sphere is astonishingly non-existent. This research’s novelty lies in the historical genealogy of business ethicists’ work in contemporary China, which turns out to be significant for an adequate understanding of business moral normativity evolution and China’s normative structure transition. By applying moral background theory as theoretical framework and adopting historical research method, the research of Chinese business ethicists’ works suggests that pre-established indigenous ideas about social morality and metaphysical structure have not only persisted, but also have dominantly shaped social moral normativity structure. Market economy reform since 1978 has brought the development of business ethics and populated ethics discourses to the fore. I firstly introduce the socioeconomic transition and Chinese traditional cultural resources as entire social backdrop and cultural repertoire for the business ethics. By developing an empirical framework based on Abend’s moral background theory, this research tries to depict what moral normativity business ethicists have co-produced and what is in transition in the social normative structure in large. Under this framework, business schools and business associations as two most important public normative spaces in regard to business ethics are empirically examined. The fundamental moral backgrounds that underlie business ethics in contemporary China has been revealed and configured. There are basic convergences between the origins and underpinnings of modern Chinese ethical understanding and its historical and cultural heritage. The influence of the moral culturalism in Chinese civilization epistemology as well as Chinese humanistic relational and spiritual ontology still play a dominant role as the deepest moral background of modern business ethics and its development in China. This research result shows that Chinese civilization is once again legitimized and justified as indispensable essence to be fostered, promoted and practiced in the public normativity structure. Chinese business ethicists are aware of pursuing ‘Chineseness’ and maintaining cultural awareness in the process of massive learning from the West. The learning and adoption of Western have modified China in many facets but have not yet remade Chinese entirely. In the business morality system, China hasn’t taken Western rationalism or individualistic capitalism as its models in regard to modern societal development. This is a significant shift in moral epistemology and ontology. This research proposes a new interpretation of the history of business ethics in the Reform China