Education and Women (Modern Chinese Women's Education and the Awakening of Educated Women 1840-1921)

Author: Qiao Suling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Knowledge changes destiny. This book examines the modern transformation of Chinese women through the lens of education, revealing the special significance of education for women and offering insights into fostering a harmonious and equal gender relationship. The "Modern China: Politics and Society in Transition" academic series is the final outcome of a research project at Sun Yat-sen University, a part of the "Project 985" initiative, focusing on the relationship between political and social changes in modern China.
Politics is a broad and complex concept. This project adopts a broad definition of politics, expanding the research scope to include modern Chinese political thought, political institutions, international environment, foreign relations, as well as key political figures and major political events. By integrating politics and society, it explores the relationship between politics and the economy, the impact of politics on education and talent cultivation, the role of politics in social stability and progress, and the influence of politics on foreign relations. It also examines the political attitudes and governance theories, policies, and methods of important figures and their social impacts from multiple perspectives and levels, attempting to explore the interactive relationship between politics and society through political sociology theories and methods. The correctness of political ideas, propositions, and governance by political figures is evaluated based on the stability, progress, development, and level of civilization of society. This is a new attempt.
Modern Chinese politics emerged within the political framework of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. On one side were capitalism, imperialism, and bureaucratic capitalism, which held political control over China; on the other side were the broad patriotic and revolutionary masses and various intellectuals pursuing progress and keeping pace with the times. These two sides represented the two social forces of China and reflected the two potential futures of modern China. Their political ideologies, thoughts, and proposals for reforming China constrained the development direction of modern China. Modern Chinese politics is the central content and foundational background for examining the social transformation of modern China.
In contemporary China, political power is held by the broad masses, with the state's power center being the central government led by the Communist Party of China. The state focuses its efforts on developing the economy, culture, and education, rapidly advancing Chinese society. Previous research on modern Chinese history has achieved substantial results and significant breakthroughs in various aspects, but there are also shortcomings. For example, the study of political changes—the key hub controlling the social transformation of modern China—has relatively weak research on its social impact, and there is an urgent need for more in-depth research and higher standards. There is also a trend of shifting research focus from various social aspects back to the center and an objective requirement to improve from specific studies to a holistic grasp.
Previous political history research emphasized class struggle and revolutionary movements, unidirectionally explaining the turmoil and instability caused by political changes in society, as well as their impact on the economy, culture, and education. To some extent, this limited the expansion of research fields and theoretical advancement in modern Chinese political history. This project takes the interactive relationship between modern Chinese politics and social change as the basic starting point. Building on existing micro-level research, it establishes an innovative and era-specific macro-level interpretive system, guided by the expansion of research horizons and the deepening of research levels. Through the combination of macro and micro research and the innovation of methods, the research level is elevated, and new paths are opened.
The history of modern Chinese politics is an important aspect of modern Chinese history research. Overall, past research has been characterized by both a large number of achievements and severe flaws, leaving considerable room for further development. Sun Yat-sen University has a strong tradition and advantage in researching modern Chinese political thought, political institutions, political figures, and international relations. It leads the domestic and international academic community in studies on Sun Yat-sen and modern Chinese politics, adheres to academic norms, and has long fostered a spirit of seeking truth and collaboration among scholars, demonstrating great potential in multiple areas.
The research on the "Modern China: Politics and Society in Transition" project involves senior professors and doctoral supervisors, postdoctoral researchers, and the rest are doctoral graduates, forming a research team with a mix of experience levels. Each member explores new frontiers based on their interests and research findings. Many of the works are their doctoral theses, which received excellent evaluations from their dissertation committees after repeated revisions before being published. They have conducted specialized research on the relationship between modern Chinese politics and society from different perspectives, each with unique characteristics and strengths, demonstrating foresight and academic rigor.
The "Modern China: Politics and Society in Transition" academic series presented to readers is the fruit of their hard work. It is hoped that these achievements will help people understand the relationship between politics and social change from new angles and provide inspiration. Of course, we also look forward to criticism and guidance from readers and the academic community.