A Starter Kit of China Studies RSS Feeds
Tuesday, 26 January 2010 Clay Burell 
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Just a quick share: I’m giving my Chinese history / China studies students this “starter kit” of RSS feeds about contemporary China from Asian and Western sources to start them on their self-directed explorations (and small group blog reports) about whatever they want to learn.
It’s the cream of my own Google Reader “China” folder, which I created and populated over winter break. If anybody has more feeds to suggest, please add them in comments. Otherwise, I share them to spare any other China studies folks out there the necessity of re-inventing the wheel. Here they are, from our class Ning:
Blogs in Asia (China, Hong Kong, etc) About China:
It’s my main source of up-to-the-minute news about all things China. Like CNN.com, it covers China-oriented news on all subjects: politics, culture, society, arts, human rights, economics, law, diplomacy and foreign relations, books, law, science and technology, the whole nine yards.
The best thing about it: it’s what we call a “curator” blog. Its writers scan all the important presses — magazines, newspapers, academic and political journals, on and on, for significant writings on China. Then they write a brief intro of the article, give you an excerpt, and a link to the whole article elsewhere on the web. So they do the searching for you, and consolidate the best content across the web each day in one place.
2. Danwei: Chinese media, advertising, and urban life.
Great blog, rightly popular. Covers China’s tech news, city life (everything from the weird Chinese interpretation of Avatar as an allegory of Chinese politics, to Chinese gay rights activists, and more) to a million other things. More funky and less “straight” than the more formal China Digital Times, above.
Also has English translations of Chinese blogs and text messages about current Chinese issues — censorship, the latest anti-”p0rn” campaign, human rights, more.
3. ChinaGeeks
From what I can gather, an up-and-coming blog run pretty much by one writer — an American in China with a good style and a good understanding of China.
He’s looking for other writers, so if any of you have the interest and the talent, you may well decide some day to contact him and discuss writing for the site. He’s good.
4. ChinaSMACK
A more hip and trendy, occasionally gossipy, China blog by expats there, I think. Another angle on contemporary Chinese society and pop culture. Pop is part of culture too, so it’s not out of bounds for those of you interested in that angle. It’s all learning through immersion.
The official newspaper of the PRC, so the Communist Party’s “propaganda” organ, perhaps. Interesting as a “primary source” to analyze as much for what’s left out as for what’s left in. But also, remember, possibly an honest expression of the Party’s position on the issues. Interesting, for sure. Be warned: lots of articles, much of them trivial reports on car accidents and such.
6. The People’s Daily: Opinions and Editorials
This one’s interesting for its lengthier opinion pieces. Again, it’s the Party itself giving its opinion about current issues. They use the People’s Daily the way Obama uses TV speeches. It’s how they communicate with the masses. It may be cynical propaganda sometimes; but it also may be the Party’s real position on issues. Read it critically.
US Sites About China: The Capitalist/Liberal-Democratic View
These sites are from the more mainstream US media outlets. They, too, will have their biases, so read them with equal care. They’re often written by Westerners with little deep knowledge of China and its history, so respect yourself and your own knowledge about China as that knowledge grows. You should be able, increasingly, to find blind spots in these Western views.
7. The Wall Street Journal: China RealTime Report Blog
The major mouthpiece of the Capitalist point of view, representing the interests of America’s bourgeoisie and financial elite. You can expect bias here, but also quality arguments and generally knowledgeable writers.
8. The New Yorker Magazine: Letters from China
I just started subscribing to this, so have little knowledge of the scope and quality of its writing. But the New Yorker is a major US literary magazine with a reputation for quality.
- What China Can Teach Writing Teachers
- A New Diigo Vision and Call for Advice: On Students Teaching China to the West
- “Lies My Teacher Told Me” Author Censored in China
- A Belated Farewell to China
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No. 1 — January 28th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Thanks for this list. I’ve got two friends who just applied to teach English in China and I think they’ll find this list handy. I’ll be checking these links out too even though it may be years before I can get to China. But I can dream, can’t I?
.-= Brian H.´s last blog ..10 Days European Motorhome Hire from Just Go (a great way to experience Europe) =-.
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