On the afternoon of May 17, 2024, renowned scholar Professor Chen Xinren from Nanjing University visited our school and delivered a lecture Area Studies: What Can Foreign Language Experts Contribute? This lecture was co-hosted by our school and the Institute of Area Studies at Northwest University. Professor Wang Xingang, Vice Dean of the Institute chaired the event, and our faculty and master’s students attended it.
Professor Chen delved into the contemporary mission of foreign language experts in area studies, focusing on three main aspects: first, he reviewed the origins and development of area studies; second, he elaborated on the interdisciplinary and historical-cultural characteristics of this research field; finally, he discussed the objectives, content, and methods of foreign language experts engaged in area studies.
Professor Chen Xinren pointed out that area studies is a multidimensional and interdisciplinary field. It requires foreign language teachers and researchers to not only master language skills but also possess an international perspective and in-depth knowledge of specific countries or regions. Foreign language experts should leverage their language proficiency, cross-cultural competence, and empirical research abilities. They should maintain a Chinese perspective and stance within the numerous research directions of area studies, use comparative and diachronic perspectives as their research paths, and rely on data-driven and empirical research to conduct in-depth explorations and achieve academic innovation. At the end of the lecture, our faculty and students actively asked questions and engaged in lively interaction. Professor Chen addressed their queries and offered three suggestions: enhancing theoretical understanding, maintaining academic rigor, and increasing problem awareness, providing clear guidance for academic research.
The lecture was rich in content and profound in thought, receiving unanimous praise from the attendees. Both faculty and students expressed that the lecture gave them a deeper understanding of area studies, and provided important insights and guidance for future academic research. The School of Foreign Languages will continue to strive to offer more opportunities for academic exchange and learning with top scholars, and create more high-level academic exchange platforms to promote the flourishing development of academic research.
Host: Professor Wang Xingang
Speaker: Professor Chen Xinren
Venue
Group Photo
School Homepage
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