Human Rights and the Politics of Cultural Understanding

Human rights discourse has often been seen as one of the most tense areas of US/China relations. This seminar seeks to address how common understandings and perceptions of Americans and Chinese are constructed as well as challenged through the language of "global human rights." On a global level, what is at stake for both America and China in these contestations over national identity? Similarly, how do the ways in which these issues are framed reveal critical reconfigurations in how we continue to make sense of the complex histories of bilateral relations as well as present day issues of globalization? On a local level, how are relationships between US and Chinese policymakers, businesspersons, and others affected on an everyday basis?

John Kamm, Founder and Chair, The Dui Hua Foundation