November 9, 2001

Quidnunc

On the Luce Over the summer, Mount Holyoke received a major grant from the Henry Luce Foundation's Fund for Asian Studies. The grant will fund four years of salary, benefits, and programmatic expenses for a new junior tenure-track faculty member who specializes in Chinese politics and political economy in the period since 1949. The politics department is currently conducting a search to fill this position and expects the new faculty member to begin teaching in fall 2002. The new faculty member's courses will complement existing curricular offerings in East Asian history, economics, and international relations, contributing to a broader and more integrated curriculum and creating a more effective major in Asian studies with a focus on China. While the new faculty member's expertise will determine the specific courses he or she teaches, the kinds of courses the College hopes to offer include an introductory survey of Chinese politics since 1949, covering issues such as economic and political reforms, cultural and environmental concerns, and minority nationalisms; intermediate and upper-level courses on recent economic and political transitions in China and the impact of globalization on these processes; Chinese foreign relations; and a comparative course on human rights in East Asia. Kavita Khory, associate professor of politics, and Jonathan Lipman, professor of history, were instrumental in helping the College win this grant. Vincent Ferraro, Ruth C. Lawson Professor of Politics and current chair of the international relations and politics departments, is chairing the faculty search committee. Ferraro notes that, by enhancing students' understanding of the most populous nation on earth, the Luce Foundation's generous grant will support Mount Holyoke's commitment to educating students for responsible global citizenship.