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The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies
East Asia Resource Center, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington

Modern Chinese History: From May Fourth to June Fourth – Online NCTA Seminar

Photo Credit: Wang Binghua

This online seminar was an introductory overview of modern Chinese history. Class meetings included a lecture component that provided a “lightning round” survey of major events in the twentieth century as well as a discussion component during which participants were invited to share their questions and reflections. In addition to the textbook (David Kenley’s Modern Chinese History), the course introduced short supplementary cultural texts that are suitable for adoption in secondary school classrooms.

Program Requirements 

Participants received a complimentary copy of Modern Chinese History in advance of the seminar and are expected to read the first 29 pages prior to the opening session. Additional readings were assigned by the program leader in advance of each of the remaining three sessions.

Participants were required to complete two one-page response papers (double-spaced, 12-point font) and a final project involving the design of a lesson plan focused on a specific period or event in modern Chinese history.

Dates and Times 

Tuesday, May 26, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)

Program benefits

  • A physical copy of the book
  • Washington State OSPI clock hours

Program Leader

Elise Huerta is a cultural studies scholar and educator who specializes in modern and contemporary China. Her research explores the cultural politics of touch in modern Chinese literature, film, and visual culture. She holds a PhD in East Asian Languages & Cultures from Stanford University and a BA in Asian Languages & Cultures from the University of Michigan. Dr. Huerta currently serves as Editor of Education About Asia, the flagship pedagogy journal published by the Association for Asian Studies.

This program was sponsored by the East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington, and funded by a Freeman Foundation grant in support of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA).