Interview of DR SHI-Xu

INTERVIEW OF DR SHI-Xu

DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF DISCOURSE AND CULTURAL STUDIES OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY

Dr SHI-Xu is the actual Director of the Institute of Discourse and Cultural Studies of Zhejiang University, China. He was visiting scholar and then did his PhD at the University of Amsterdam (1989-1996). He was also a lecturer at the National University of Singapore (1997-1999), and he was also a reader at the University of Ulster in United Kingdom (1999-2004). He wrote several books in English and in Chinese languages about discourse such as “Cultural Representations, A Cultural Approach to Discourse”, “Read the Cultural Other (editor) and Discourse as Cultural Struggle (editor)” and “Wenhua Huayu Yanjiu”. He is founding Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Multicultural Discourses (Routledge, UK) and Series Editor of Studying Multicultural Discourses (Hong Kong University Press) and serves on the editorial board of a number of premier national and international journals. Recipient of the New-Century Outstanding Researcher Fund from the Ministry of Education in china, he is Changjiang Distinguished Professor (Ministry of Education Appointment), Qiushi Distinguished Professor, Director of the Institute of Discourse and Cultural Studies, and Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Discourse Studies (CCCDS) at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (Xu, 2010).

Source:

SHI-Xu. (2010). Cultural Discourse Studies. Récupéré sur SHI-Xu: http://www.shixu.com/edetail.asp?style=7

Questions:

1.      Have you seen China changed during these last few years?

Enormously, politically, economically, socially and culturally. All for the better. But there are also new problems, which have to do development processes themselves on the one hand (pollution, corruption) and American-Western expansion and competition on the other hand (capitalism).

2.      Do you see China as a global country?

Increasingly so, but mainly in economic terms; America is still the superpower trying to contain China’s influence. China’s globalization will make the world less American and more diversified.

3.      How does the country adapt to the global world?

1.      Playing a bigger role in international affairs (changing the American rules); 2. Unifying and helping with developing countries; 3. Learning from other countries in politics, economy, science, etc.

4.      Do you think Chinese culture changed to become a more “global culture”?

Although China has changed the world, the world is also altering China. China’s influence will become bigger and more widespread.

5.      To which culture do you think China adapted the most (American, Japanese, Korean, British…)?

America has certainly the biggest influence in more bad ways than in good ways. As I said, America is the superpower and will continue to dominate over China.

6.      You lived abroad for a certain time, when you came back, did you observe some changes in the country such as the business environment, the people behavior, the culture, the tourists …?

As said above, I did see a better China, freer, more prosperous, more opportunities for everything.

7.      Do you think China is an easy place to travel in when you are from a different country? Do you think the government is trying to adapt some infrastructures to facilitate tourism?

It’s certainly a much more tourist-friendly country than even 5 years ago. Foreigners are everywhere and have a lot of opportunities as well. Travel by air and train is extremely easy nowadays.

8.      Do you think China should adapt more or should it keep its specificities to stay unique?

Both ways, opening up is the best way to consolidate yourself!