Dongming Zhang

Dongming Zhang

James B. Duke Associate Professor of Asian Studies

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Dr. Dongming Zhang holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University in East Asian Literature, an M.A. from University of Colorado in Asian Studies, and a B.A. from Beijing University in Chinese language and literature. Dr. Zhang has taught Chinese language and literature at various prestigious institutions, such as Cornell University, Middlebury College, and Furman University. He also has a wealth of experience directing Chinese language immersion programs. He served as program director for the State Department's Critical Language Scholarships Institute during the summers of 2008 and 2009. He also served as head professor for the State Department's StarTalk Program at Furman during the summers of 2011 and 2012. Student feedback from these programs was extremely positive, as were outside assessments.

Philosophy

In addition to preparing students to highlight intersections between a cultural/literary text and the issues surrounding it, the emphasis of my teaching lies in pulling out intriguing readings in the classroom through discussion with students. My ultimate principle of reading, both as a critic and as a teacher, is to make a text simple without simplifying the text—both through textual analysis. Rather than insisting on a uni-vocal meaning on a literary or cultural text, I believe that meaning is generated in the process of reading and rereading of which classroom practice in the university represents an essential component.

Education

    • Ph.D., Cornell University
    • M.A., University of Colorado at Boulder
    • B.A., Peking University

 

Experience in Asia

Dr. Zhang holds a B.A. from Beijing University in Chinese language and literature. He taught Chinese language and literature at various immersion programs in China, including: Middlebury School in China (Hangzhou, 2008), the State Department's Critical Language Scholarships Institute in China (Suzhou, 2008 & 2009), and Furman University Fall Semester Study Away program in China (Suzhou, 2009 & 2010).

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