Understanding China in the 21st Century: A Historical Perspective

A talk by Donald Santacaterina (Department of History, UNC Chapel Hill), free and open to the public, in collaboration with Robeson Community College.

China’s economic miracle and rise to world superpower amidst their maintenance of a one-party, authoritarian political model has left a wide variety of questions for global audiences. This lecture focuses on recent Chinese history from the “Century of Humiliation” (百年国耻 bainian guochi) and the Opium Wars through to the present day, emphasizing how the Chinese Communist party uses historical narratives to explain and expand their political goals. By focusing on the way many Chinese citizens understand their own history, this lecture aims to cultivate mutual understanding and common ground for discussion over the many antagonisms which plague China-U.S. relations, from human rights violations in Xinjiang to China-Hong Kong relations to the expansion of Chinese technology corporations overseas.