Cheng Li, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Government, will give a talk titled "Education, Art and Politics: American Influence on China's Peaceful Evolution," on Friday, Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. in the Kirner-Johnson auditorium. Li's talk is among activities planned for Hamilton's presidential inauguration and is the second lecture in the 2003-04 Faculty Lecture Series sponsored by The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty..
Li grew up in Shanghai and was largely self-educated during the Cultural Revolution. In 1985, he came to the United States where he received a master's in Asian studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate in political science at Princeton University. He is a member of the Institute of Current World Affairs in Hanover, New Hampshire. In 2002-03, he was a residential fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C.
In 1993-95, Li worked in China as a fellow of the U.S.-based Institute of Current World Affairs, observing grassroots changes in his native country. In China, he had the opportunity to interview political and business leaders as well as people from everyday walks of life. Based on this experience, he published a nationally acclaimed book, Rediscovering China: Dynamics and Dilemmas of Reform (1997). His latest book is China's Leaders: The New Generation, (2001).
Li's writings have appeared in journals including World Politics, Asian Survey, The China Quarterly and The Brown Journal of World Affairs and some edited volumes. He is currently working on two book manuscripts: Chinese Technocrats and Urban Subcultures in Shanghai.
He is also a recipient of research grants from the Peter Lewis Foundation, the Crane-Rogers Foundation, Charlotte E. Proctor Honorific Fellowship, the Emerson Foundation, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange.
Under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State, he helped to brief U.S. ambassadors to China Senator James Sasser and Admiral Joseph Prueher. He gives numerous invited lectures for private, government and academic audiences and has frequently been called upon to share his unique perspective and insights as an expert on China with the national and international media. He is also a columnist for the Stanford University journal, China Leadership Monitor.
Li teaches courses on topics ranging from politics in China to the international political economy and was a recipient of Hamilton College's Excellence in Teaching Award.
