This newsletter reports that to further deepen the disciplinary development of Area and Country Studies, broaden academic research horizons, and strengthen academic exchange and cooperation with high-level institutions, from November 3rd to 4th, Professor Ma Qiang, doctoral supervisor from the Institute of Chinese Western Frontier Studies at Shaanxi Normal University, was invited to our college. He successively held a symposium and a special lecture, bringing an academic feast for the faculty and students that combined theoretical depth with practical value .
Symposium Fosters Development, Targeted Advice Initiates a New Journey
On the afternoon of November 3rd, the symposium was held in the C411 meeting room of the college building. Attendees included Party Secretary of the College Xiao Guifang, Vice Dean (in charge of work) Xie Qiuen, Deputy Party Secretary He Shiting, Vice Dean Li Huoxiu, Director of the Pakistan Research Center Cheng Yuan, Chief Expert of the Pakistan Research Center Zeng Fanjian, Director of the College's International Exchange Center Liu Daowei, and Director of the College's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Huang Qiuwen. They engaged in in-depth discussions with Professor Ma Qiang on disciplinary development. The meeting was chaired by Xie Qiuen .
At the meeting, Xie Qiuen first extended a warm welcome to Professor Ma Qiang on behalf of the college and introduced the attendees. Subsequently, Cheng Yuan, Director of the Pakistan Research Center, gave a brief introduction to the college's basic situation, as well as its foundational layout and recent achievements in the field of Area and Country Studies. Drawing upon his extensive experience in Western frontier and Area and Country Studies, Professor Ma Qiang provided practical and targeted suggestions for the current state of our college's disciplinary development in Area and Country Studies, focusing on aspects such as refining research directions, applying for research projects, and conducting fieldwork. He also offered clear guidance for our college to explore new directions for disciplinary development, tailored to our university's distinctive majors . The leaders and experts present engaged in an in-depth discussion concerning the potential academic challenges, research risks, and coping strategies that our college may face in its future distinctive development. Finally, Party Secretary Xiao Guifang, drawing upon her own academic and administrative experience, emphasized the importance of Area and Country Studies for serving national strategies and promoting international exchange, expressing our college's firm determination to continuously cultivate this field and build a competitive discipline .
Special Lecture Broadens Horizons, An Anthropological Perspective Deciphers 'Iron Brother' (Pakistan)
To deepen the interdisciplinary dimensions of Area and Country Studies and build a bridge for academic exchange, on the afternoon of November 4th, a special lecture titled "Observing 'Iron Brother' (Pakistan)—The Anthropological Perspective and Its Value in Area and Country Studies" was held in C402 of the college building. The lecture was delivered by Professor Ma Qiang and hosted by Vice Dean (in charge of work) Xie Qiuen, with faculty and student representatives attending in person .
At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Ma Qiang started with his personal experiences from multiple fieldwork trips to Pakistan, quickly connecting with the faculty and students through vivid on-site cases and lively interview anecdotes, making abstract academic research tangible and accessible .
He pointed out that Area and Country Studies is a "scholarship for a major power" that serves the national strategy of opening up. As China's international influence continues to grow, the world desires a deeper understanding of China, and China in turn needs a more comprehensive understanding of the diverse world. Area and Country Studies is the key vehicle for building this cognitive bridge. When discussing Pakistan studies, Professor Ma Qiang objectively analyzed the limitations of traditional paradigms in current "Iron Brother" research, thereby emphasizing the significant meaning and unique value of an anthropological perspective in Area and Country Studies. He elaborated on the core research methods of anthropology, detailing the specific applications of fieldwork, participant observation, and daily practice analysis in the study of China-Pakistan relations. He particularly proposed that Area and Country Studies under the "Belt and Road" initiative requires the participation of anthropology, offering a brand-new academic perspective for the faculty and students. At the end of the lecture, Professor Ma Qiang engaged in an interactive exchange with the faculty and students, further deepening their understanding of interdisciplinary research .
This series of academic exchange activities with Professor Ma Qiang was rich in content and profound in insight, establishing a high-quality platform for our faculty and students to engage in deep dialogue with a top-tier scholar. On one hand, the symposium clarified the direction and path for the disciplinary development of Area and Country Studies in our college, providing valuable experience for solving developmental challenges and mitigating research risks. On the other hand, the special lecture, using the anthropological perspective as an entry point, opened new horizons in Area and Country Studies for the faculty and students, injecting new inspiration into subsequent teaching innovations and research explorations. Moving forward, our college will take this academic exchange as an opportunity to continuously strengthen cooperation with high-level domestic and international institutions, constantly improve the disciplinary development system, encourage faculty and students to delve deeply into field-based research, and promote the development of Area and Country Studies to deeper levels and broader fields, contributing more to serving national strategies and cultivating high-quality international talent .(Text by Yang Wenqi & Wang Yuxin; Photos by Yang Wenqi & Wang Yuxin; Editor: Zhou Linyu)
