The Consumption Practices and Identity Formation of the Chinese Middle Class in the Media Era

During the past 40 years following the reform and opening-up policy of 1978,China’s social structure has seen great changes,which include the birth and rapid development of the Chinese middle class as a derivative and consequence of modernization.They are the main source of consumption in contemporary China and display unique characteristics in their consumption practices.Consumption is not only a daily practice,but also a means of demonstrating and forming identity.In this media era,media play an important role in people’s consumption practices and identity formation.In this study,semi-structured interviews were carried out with members of the Chinese middle class to study the relationship between consumption,identity,and media through their oral accounts.Moreover,problems,including the characteristics of middle-class consumption practices and how they use consumption to form identity,were analyzed.This study not only complements studies on the sociology of consumption of the Chinese middle class,but also is of great practical significance for deepening our understanding of the behavioral and ideological characteristics of the Chinese middle class.

Sensing the Poetic Habitat - A Study of Middle School Chinese Teaching from the Perspectives of Life Aesthetics

The concept of life aesthetics reflects an individual’s cry for life and pursuit of beauty,inspiring individuals to discover their spiritual home,sense their poetic habitat,and enjoy the beauty of life flowing from their fingertips.Chinese education,viewed through the lens of life aesthetics,is founded on the natural characteristics of life,stimulating the aesthetic sense of individual life through the allure of language,and teaching students to view life through the aesthetic lens as well as from an understanding of life’s essence.Teachers and students are required to take an aesthetic view of life as theoretical guidance,based on core Chinese literacy,with textbook contents serving as carriers and classroom instruction as the position,closely connected to students’actual lives,in order to help stimulate aesthetic experience among students,improve their aesthetic ability through aesthetic activities,and thus establish a correct view of life.

Developments of Professional Learning Communities and Challenges for Principals in Chinese Urban Middle Schools

Professional learning communities(PLCs)have seen a rapid spread all around the world over the past 30 years.Since then it has been proved that they can improve teaching quality and thereby the achievement of students,and so PLCs have attracted increasing attention especially from education systems.In China,PLCs have been developed vigorously within schools since the implementation of the‘New Curriculum Reform’in 2000.However,the west has paid scant attention to and were not familiar with them since most research in this field in China was published in Chinese.Furthermore,PLCs are influenced by contextual and cultural factors,and therefore PLCs in Chinese education systems are different from those in Anglo-American settings due to long-standing cultural differences,which require consideration.Therefore,this research will investigate the PLCs in China that may be of interest.Many recent studies have shown that,although PLCs have made significant progress in Chinese urban middle schools through the enthusiastic efforts of educators and scholars,there are still several barriers.The primary purpose of this research is to review the development of PLCs and additionally to analyse the challenges faced by the principals.

A Brief Description of Audio-Lingual Method and Discussion of its Advantages and Disadvantages vis-a-vis the English Language Teaching Situation in Chinese Middle Schools

With the development of reform and open policy, foreign languages become more and moreuseful. And how to teach a foreign language is an important matter. A lot of methods of teaching foreign languages have been developed. There’re grammar-trans-lation method, direct method, audio-lingual method, communicative method, etc. In this paper I in-

Understanding and Respect:On Establishing a Chinese Discourse System for Middle East Studies

In the process of establishing a Chinese discourse system for Middle East studies,the following fundamental factors should be taken into consideration.The guideline should be the mainstream of Chinese humanistic philosophy.Unlike the commanding and thrusting discourse systems of the US and some European countries,the Chinese discourse system highlights equality in communication It is likely to be more popular with the Islamic countries in the Middle East and therefore receive serious concern and should be cherished by the Chinese academicians of Middle East studies.We should pay attention to all the documents and materials from the research topic,attaching great importance to referencing documents and materials from abroad as well as the established terminology and translated terms of the Chinese Muslims,which are different from those in Protestant Christianity or Catholic Christianity.We should also follow the current spirit in the process of establishing a Chinese discourse system for Middle East studies.In the background of economic globalization,the themes of the times emphasize peace and development and the trend of democratization of international relations.In analyzing the contradiction between the US and the Islamic world,we should consider their interpretation of the present spirit and their disparities because it relates to their core values.The study of how to establish a discourse system for Middle East studies in China,a socialist country,is actually one part of the study of the essence of socialism with“Chinese characteristics.”

On Political Unrest in the Middle East and China’s Diplomacy

From crisis management to the overall planning,China’s response to the unrest in the Middle East has achieved great success.Today China must understand the influence of the unrest in the Middle East by taking the overall international and domestic situations into consideration,namely,understanding its influence as’’tests in the external environment’’and the changes it causes to the international setting of China;China must review its experiences of coping with the unrest in the Middle East and correct any flaws in its present policies;China must work out scientific,mid-and long-term strategies for the Middle East and corresponding measures.In particular,she should better its understanding of the strategic position of the Middle East and enhance her participation in the Middle Eastern affairs while adhering to its traditional diplomatic principles.

The Transformation of the International System and China’s Positive Diplomacy in the Middle East

The international system is at a historical moment of renewal.As the unipolar order declines,various forces are rising,among which China has already become an important force in constructing a new world order.Quiet but revolutionary changes have occurred in China's diplomatic philosophy and practices as the country becomes more deeply ingrained into the international system.Under the background of great changes,the political situation in the Middle East has also quietly changed..With the weakening of the impact of external forces,many new energies in this region are coming to life.The future development of relations between European and United States powers,and their policy changes will bring a far-reaching impact on the political situation in the Middle East.China's diplomacy in the Middle East will become more active and aggressive.Meanwhile,China will concentrate more on the multi-lateral cooperation and its co-ordination with Europe and United States.

Public Diplomacy: The Choice of a More Humanistic Globalization in the Future

From crisis management to the overall planning,China’s response to the unrest in the Middle East has achieved great success.Today China must understand the influence of the unrest in the Middle East by taking the overall international and domestic situations into consideration,namely,understanding its influence as’’tests in the external environment’’and the changes it causes to the international setting of China;China must review its experiences of coping with the unrest in the Middle East and correct any flaws in its present policies;China must work out scientific,mid-and long-term strategies for the Middle East and corresponding measures.In particular,she should better its understanding of the strategic position of the Middle East and enhance her participation in Middle Eastern affairs while adhering to its traditional diplomatic principles.