Search results for ""author william j. duiker""

In the broadest sense, this intellectual biography is designed to give insight into the reasons why Western values and institutions (especially in education) failed to take root in the Chinese environment. Three interrelated themes are treated by Professor Duiker: the evolution of the Chinese educational system from the beginning of the 20th century to World War II; the process by which a Chinese intellectual absorbed Western values and attitudes while retaining significant elements of his traditional Confucian world view; the goals of the humanist movement in early republican China and the reasons for its failure.Ts'ai (1868–1940), as first Minister of Education under the 1912 republic, helped to formulate educational policies during an important stage of transition in modern China. Later, as chancellor of Peking University, he was a central figure in the tumultuous events of the May Fourth period. Having been educated traditionally to the doctoral (chin shih) level before studying at a European university, Ts'ai attempted to synthesize the humanist side of the Confucian tradition with the libertarian elements in Western culture. Ts'ai's synthesis was unique but ultimately unsuccessful.Penn State Study No. 41

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Comprehensive, balanced and updated with new research, Duiker's CONTEMPORARY WORLD HISTORY, 7th Edition, equips you with the context to interpret the events you hear about every day in the news. You'll view history from the broader global perspective, while also gaining insight into the distinct character of individual civilizations and regions. Integrating political, economic, social and cultural history into a smoothly written narrative, the text illuminates the most decisive moments in recent times. Concluding sections and Reflections essays help you understand the causes of events and place them in a broader context, while insightful timelines highlight and contrast different cultures and nations. In addition, detailed maps, photos from the author's personal collection and numerous primary source documents bring chapter material to life.

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Explore world history in a brief, balanced, highly readable overview that examines common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and identify key global regional patterns over time with THE ESSENTIAL WORLD HISTORY. This brief overview of world history covers political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military history integrated into a chronologically ordered synthesis to help you gain an appreciation and understanding of the distinctive character and development of individual cultures in society. You can use the book���s global approach and its emphasis on analytical comparisons between cultures to link events together in a broad comparative and global framework that places the contemporary world in a more meaningful historical context.

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From the end of World War II down to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the primary objective of U.S. foreign policy has been to prevent the expansion of communism. Indeed, that objective was directly embodied in the so-called strategy of containment, a global approach to the pursuit of U.S. national security interests that was first adumbrated by George F. Kennan in 1947 and later became the guiding force in U.S. foreign policy. At first, the concept of containment was applied primarily to Europe. It was there that the threat to U.S. interests from international communism directed from Moscow was first perceived, in the form of Soviet efforts to dominate the nations of Eastern Europe and extend Soviet influence into the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Other areas of the world—Asia, Africa, and Latin America—were considered to be less threatened by forces hostile to the free world or more peripheral to U.S. foreign policy concerns. At least that was the view initially proclaimed by George Kennan himself, who identified five areas in the world as vital to the United States: North America, Great Britain, Central Europe, the USSR, and Japan. Only the latter was located in Asia. By the end of the decade, however, the focus of U.S. containment strategy was extended to include East and Southeast Asia, primarily because of the increasing likelihood of a communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, which, in the minds of some U.S. policymakers, would be tantamount to giving the Soviet Union a dominant position on the Asian mainland. Added to the growing threat in China was the increasingly unstable situation in Southeast Asia, where the long arc of colonies that had been established by the imperialist powers during the last half of the nineteenth century was gradually but inexorably being replaced by independent states. The emergence of such colonial territories into independence was generally viewed as a welcome prospect by foreign policy observers in Washington, but when combined with the impending victory of communist forces in China it raised the unsettling possibility that the entire region might be brought within the reach of the Kremlin.

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Vietnam became part of French Indochina in 1887 and did not regain its independence again until after the Vietnam War. However, despite a relatively peaceful two decades the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies. In an effort to change this stagnation, Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The third edition of this dictionary focuses on the recent changes and leadership of Vietnam while giving due attention to the earlier kingdoms, the period of French Indochina, the wars for liberation, the Vietnam War, and much more. Hundreds of cross-referenced A to Z dictionary entries are included on political, economic, social and cultural aspects as well as the major cities and geographic features. This book also contains a chronology and introduction that traces Vietnam's history, as well as a bibliography.

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From the dawn of civilization to the modern dilemmas of nation building in Africa and the Middle East, THE ESSENTIAL WORLD HISTORY offers you a fascinating look at the common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and inform the future. Authors Duiker and Spielvogel use colorful visuals, maps, dramatic first-hand historical accounts and even reviews of popular movies to give you an insightful perspective on the human experience over time. The easy-to-read narrative is organized around seven major themes (Science and Technology, Art and Ideas, Family and Society, Politics and Government, Earth and the Environment, Religion and Philosophy and Interaction and Exchange). Important to all cultures from all time periods, these themes help you understand the course of world history, make connections across chapters and see today's world in a meaningful context.

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