In recent years, the PRC leadership has made much about gaining “soft power” in the world. Generally, this means raising the profile of “Chinese culture” – often defined in terms of indigenous Chinese practices and beliefs distinct from “Western culture”. But how effective have these efforts been in the United States? Join Sam Crane, Professor of Political Science at Williams College, as he tackles this question in the inaugural lecture of the Sino-American Talks Series. RSVP required.

Sam Crane is a professor of political science at Williams College in Massachusetts, where he teaches courses on Chinese politics, East Asian international relations, and ancient Chinese philosophy.  His most recent book – Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Dao: Ancient Chinese Thought in Modern American Life (Wiley, 2013) – uses insights from pre-Qin Confucian and Daoist texts to reflect upon contemporary US social and ethical issues, such as: abortion, gay marriage, and end of life issues.  He is also the intellectual force behind the popular Chinese philosophy website Useless Tree, on which Sam provides commentary and analysis on ancient Chinese thought and contemporary events.

For more information and to RSVP: http://thehutong.com/sino-america/

Event information courtesy of the Legation Quarter.