Studying the global ‘emerging giants’ on film

They’re called the “emerging giants” of the new global economy, and with India and China’s growing role on the world stage, it seems like everyone’s eyes are cast to the Far East.

Makes sense, then, that a new course on the economic realities in these countries would be one of this fall’s most popular offerings.

Teresa Cyrus, associate professor of Economics, teaches ECON 2213 - Emerging Giants: The Economic Rise of China and India, already full with more than 100 students this fall. She says that an influx of international students to the department from China, along with growing general interest in the region’s economic progress, inspired the course.

“It’s not just their population that’s important, but their production, their exports, their weight in global affairs,” she explains. “You can’t pick up a newspaper without reading about one or the other.”

But Emerging Giants isn’t the only popular new class that highlights the region: CHIN 2050 - Chinese Culture is a new course in Chinese Studies with more than 40 students registered. The class, taught by Yongmei Wang, is delivered in English, and highlights traditional Chinese culture, as well as the vibrant and diverse cultural life in contemporary China.

“A lot of times when people want to study a language, they’re as interested as much in the culture, so we wanted to offer that opportunity,” explains Shao-Pin Luo, corodinator of the Chinese Studies program. “We go through philosophy, literary traditions, custom, fashion.”

Culture through the camera lens

To help expand the learning experience of both courses, the two departments are teaming together on a film series related to the material, free and open to the public. It kicks off this Wednesday, September 13 at 7 p.m. with Farewell My Concubine, the 1993 Chinese film by Chen Kaige, to date the only Chinese language film to win the prestigious Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Students who take the classes are encouraged to attend the screenings, which will be timed with particular classroom topics. For example, Beijing Bicycle, about a 17-year-old boy from the countryside who moves to the city for work, will be linked with classroom lectures about rural-to-urban migration, a huge economic issue in China. And the final film, Still Life, set in a city about to be flooded by the Three Gorges Dam, will come alongside classroom discussions about climate and energy issues.

“In economics we study a lot of stats and equations, so this will be a nice addition,” says Dr. Cyrus, who has studied Mandarin and travelled to China many times. “I think it’ll be a good opportunity for students to see how Chinese and Indian directors and filmmakers see their own country.”

Chinese and Indian Film Series

Sept. 14:    Farewell My Concubine
Sept. 28:    Gandhi
Oct. 12:      Beijing Bicycle
Oct. 26:      Salaam Bombay
Nov. 8:       Sacrifice
Nov. 9:       Water
Nov. 23:     Still Life

All screenings are free and open to the public.

Films start at 7 p.m. and will be shown in the Ondaatje Auditorium of the Marion McCain Building, except for the October 12 screening of Beijing Bicycle, which will be held in the MacMechan Auditorium of the Killam Library.