Chinese professor helps bridge UAE-China gap

The growing exchange activities between the Middle East and China require that new graduates have a deeper understanding of East Asian culture says recently appointed American University of Sharjah (AUS) assistant professor Yuting Wang.

Yuting is currently putting together a new course for the next semester focusing on East Asian societies and the increasing cultural exchange between China and the Middle East.

Significant changes

"I had the idea to offer students the opportunity to study East Asian societies like China, Japan and Korea even before coming here, because that part of the world is not really a focus for students in the Middle East. They focus more on Europe, Africa and the United States."

She describes the course as an advanced social science course that requires more reading than that required for an introductory course.

Yuting, who is a Chinese national, said Asian societies are currently going through significant changes. "China is going through an economic boom, Japan is going through a stagnation in its economy and this results in social problems, urbanisation, migration and cultural influence among those societies."

Focus on Muslims

Yuting is currently working on developing her dissertation into a book.

Her research focuses on identity construction among American Muslims in the post 9/11 era. She has studied how the Muslim community has expanded and formed a new group identity.

"American Muslims from diverse backgrounds have come together and expanded rather than becoming ethnic or social class specific.

After 9/11 Muslims have become multi-ethnic and have built solidarity," she said. Yuting also researches religion and spirituality in China, with a focus on Chinese Muslims.

- With additional reporting from AUS student Pashma Deepak Manglani