（2011年4月14日  8：00-12：00 am）

 

April 12 (T)     Xi’an—where the East meets the West (B/L/D)

7:00-8:00am      Breakfast

8:30-Noon         Guided tour to Xi’an’s ancient Mosques.

Noon-1:30pm    Lunch

1:30-4:30pm      Guided tour to Buddhist and Taoist Temples in Xi’an

5:00-6:30pm      Dinner

Evening            Free time

9:00pm              Return to hotel

 

April 13 (W)    One-day Excursion to the Terracotta Warriors (B/L/D)

 

April 14 (Th)   Xi’an—a Burgeoning Metropolitan in Northwest China (B/-/-)

7:00-8:00am      Breakfast

8:30-10:00am     Lecture: “Ethnic Minorities and Religions in Northwest China: A Perspective on Islam.” by Dr. Qiang Ma from Shaanxi Normal University.

10:00-10:30am   Tea Break

10:30-noon        Panel Discussion with students at Xi’an Normal University: Social Problems in Urban China

 

Noon-1:30         Lunch

Afternoon   Free time and packing.

3:00 pm Leave for airport

7:30pm   Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport

11:55pm      Depart from PEK (Beijing) (EK 307)

Arrive at DXB at 4:20 am (April 15)

AUS bus will pick up from the airport.

--
Yuting Wang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of International Studies
American University of Sharjah
P.O.Box 26666
Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates

Office: PHY 241
Tel: 971-6-5152522 (o)
      971-6-5153088 (h)
      971-56-1013918 (c)

American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah, who envisioned the university as a leading educational institution in the Gulf region. American University of Sharjah is an independent, not-for-profit coeducational institution. Consciously based upon American institutions of higher education, AUS is thoroughly grounded in Arab culture and is part of a larger process of the revitalization of intellectual life in the Middle East. AUS is a leading comprehensive coeducational university in the Gulf, serving students from the region and around the world.

American University of Sharjah is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215 662 5606). AUS is licensed in the United States by the Department of Education of the State of Delaware. The university is also licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and all undergraduate and graduate programs have been awarded either full or initial accreditation. All six of the bachelor's degree programs in the AUS College of Engineering are accredited by ABET, Inc. of the United States. The Bachelor of Architecture program of the College of Architecture, Art and Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States.

AUS offers 25 majors and 48 minors at the undergraduate level, and 13 master's degrees programs through the following academic divisions:

 

College of Arts and Sciences

College of Engineering

College of Architecture, Art and Design

School of Business and Management

 

While Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates, the language of instruction at AUS is English. All classes and administrative functions are conducted in English.

 

Organizer: Dr. Yuting Wang

Department of International Studies

Nov. 21, 2010

 

Trading was one of the most powerful historical forces that gave rise to the ancient civilizations. Ancient cities flourished along the trading routes stretching thousands of miles connecting Europe to the vast land of Asia, via the Middle East. Caravans loaded with all sorts of precious goods not only energized the local markets, but also contributed to the social and cultural exchanges. New technologies, languages, arts, and religions were often brought together with silk, musk, perfumes, spices, medicines, jewels, and fine glasswares, as the merchants travelled across the continents.

The Silk Road, named after the lucrative silk trade began during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), was the most important ancient trading routes linking the great civilizations of China, India, Egypt, Persia, Arabia and Rome. Starting from the ancient Chinese Capital of Xi’an and extending more than 4,000 miles westward, the Silk Road not only enabled people to transport goods, but also served as a conduit for the spread of knowledge and ideas. According to the historians, it was the Arab and Persian merchants who first introduced Islam to China. “Seeking knowledge even unto China,” a hadith accredited to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), suggests the importance of traveling, which, in ancient times, often occurred as part of trading activities along the Silk Road.

The study tour propose to take students to the ancient Chinese Capital and the beginning of the ancient Silk Road—Xi’an, and the political and cultural center of modern China—Beijing.  By combining visits to historical sites and lecture series in the finest universities in both Beijing and Xi’an, students will explore the long history of social and cultural exchanges between China and the Middle East, investigate the impact of economic development on Chinese society through observations and in-depth discussions, and examine China’s foreign policies toward the Middle East and the complex China-Middle East relations from different angles.

The study tour is in alignment with the INS program goals. As one of the trading centers in the region, the social life in Sharjah has been deeply shaped by the continuing trade with the outside world. The historical linkage between Sharjah and the global society builds the foundation for a strong interdisciplinary program in International Studies. This one-week study tour to China, organized in conjunction with a special topics course on East Asian Societies (Soc 394), provides AUS students a rare opportunity to explore the rich history, fascinating culture, diverse religious traditions, rapid economic growth and the accompanying social problems in the People’s Republic of China. As the economic, educational, social, and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE increase, this study tour is especially appropriate as it expands students’ horizon and broadens the area focus of our academic program. 

Although offered in conjunction with SOC 394 East Asian Societies, this study tour is not mandatory for students who wish to take this course. Registration for the study tour is open to all CAS students (and possibly to students in other colleges). Students who register for SOC 394 have the priority to sign up for the study tour. The study tour group will be limited to 12 students and 2 faculty members (one male and one female).