About this course

In this course, students will conduct academic research to explore the topics of trade, diplomacy, and development in China.  The field research component of the course will run from June 7th to June 28th, 2016.  Students will have the option to stay in China for another two weeks if they wish to conduct more field research on their own.

During the spring 2016 semester, students from both MIIS and Middlebury will work with three professors to develop project ideas and to design appropriate research methodologies with assistance from the Meta Lab at MIIS.  In June, the group will travel to Beijing, where top scholars will workshop their research ideas.  The group will then travel to research sites in teams consisting of at least one professor and a team of MIIS and Middlebury students.  Interpreters from the MIIS Translation and Interpretation (T&I) program will travel with each team to assist with language.  At each site, the team will conduct fieldwork using the methodologies developed on campus.  Students will have the option of incorporating their original research into an independent study project or Master’s thesis upon their return to campus in fall 2016.

You Will Learn

  • Research design
  • Methodologies like surveys, interviews, statistical modeling, archival research, etc.
  • How to conduct research in the field, including adapting to field conditions and challenges
  • Chinese language skills (with help from the T&I students)
  • How to analyze the research you collect in the field
  • How to write academic articles for publication based on your fieldwork findings