Workshops
Our workshops bring students and researchers together for sustained, interdisciplinary inquiry into China and East Asia. Topics develop around the interests of participants.
Fall 2026
· Past session
Forests and the Politics of Environmental Transformation
Speaker: Weiran Zhu, UC Berkeley
A discussion of forest destruction and afforestation in China, the organization of forestry work, and how local cases can reshape broader historical interpretations.
Discussion questions
- What did it mean to conquer nature in a particular forestry project?
- How did expertise, administrative priorities, and everyday needs interact?
- What evidence connects local cases with broader historical claims?
· Past session
China’s Constitution: Formation and Political Practice
Speaker: Xin Wen, UC Berkeley, School of Law
An introductory discussion of what China’s constitution does, approached through the formation of political institutions. The Dual State model provided a starting point for discussion.
· Past session
A Conversation with Laura Wen-yu Young
Speaker: Laura Wen-yu Young, Wang and Wang, LLP
An informal conversation about legal education and careers in law, with guest remarks followed by open discussion.
· Upcoming session
Metaphysics Across Cultures: Greek Ontology, Daoist Thought, and World Literature
Speaker: Odradek Zhang, UC Berkeley
Session details will be announced.
· Upcoming session
Topic to be announced
Session details will be announced.
Decal Courses
Through the Camera: 20th-Century China in Transition
Hist 198 · Exploring 20th-century China in transition through film.
Contemporary China: A History of Unfinished Tales
Global Studies 198 · 2 units. A course on PRC history and contemporary social issues, using film, discussion, and guest lectures.
Contemporary China: A History of Unfinished Tales
Global Studies 198 · 1 unit. A discussion course exploring the processes shaping contemporary China.
Contemporary China: A History and Many Stories
Global Studies 198 · 2 units. An online course on post-1949 China, comparing historical narratives and underrepresented perspectives.
Contemporary China: A History and Many Stories
Global Studies 198 · 1 unit. Student-led discussions of social and political issues in contemporary China.
