In an age defined by climate anxiety and ecological fragmentation, where do we look for new, or perhaps very old, ways of belonging to the world? As the global community struggles with climate change and biodiversity loss, the quest for new frameworks to understand our relationship with the planet has never been more urgent.
In Session 4, Professor James Miller offers a timely course, GCHINA308 PHIL308 / RELIG302 Chinese Thought on the Environment. The course explores how classical Chinese philosophy, religion, and cultural traditions have conceptualized nature and the relationship between human beings and the broader environment. We spoke with Prof. Miller to discuss why these ancient ideas are relevant, how they reframe contemporary crises, and why this course is an essential offering for students across disciplines, from environmental science and public policy to philosophy and the arts. Read More
Zhiyuan (Mark) Ma (Class of 2026) is a bilingual poet and literary translator working in Chinese and English, and a student researcher in the CSCC Faculty–Student Collaborative Research Project Contemporary Kunshan Poetry Anthology & Exhibition, led by Professor Stephanie Anderson. His scholarly and creative work centers on contemporary Chinese and American poetry, literary translation, and cross-cultural literary exchange, with a particular focus on the Jiangnan region. In October 2025, Mark’s English translation of poetry by Kunshan-born poet Lu Jiateng was published in ANMLY Issue 41, contributing to the international circulation of contemporary regional Chinese poetry. Through his involvement in the project, as a translator, editor, and project organizer, Mark plays a pivotal part in bridging local literary communities with broader academic and creative audiences. In the following interview, Mark reflects on the project’s aims, his multiple roles within it, and the broader questions that shape his work as a poet and translator. Read More
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