This year's free lecture series and course offered through the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences examines the economic, social, political, environmental and cultural changes taking place in contemporary China.

"China Rising and the World" (BSS 275), will consist of panels and discussions that focus on how these changes influence China's rising status as a world power and its relations with other nations in the global economy, particularly the United States. This is the fifth consecutive year the College has offered a free fall lecture series designed to publicly address important domestic and international issues. The series is open to the campus community and the general public.

In addition to the timely topic of goods made in China, weekly discussions will explore how China's dynastic feudalist past, its Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist traditions and communist history shape its present options and worldview; what market-socialism means in the Chinese context; China as a threat or an opportunity to the United States; the tensions between growth and modernization reconciled with claims for democratization, human rights and environmental sustainability.

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean Joel L. Kassiola will lead the course and moderate the discussions. Panelists include distinguished faculty from the Colleges of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business, Ethnic Studies, Health and Human Services, Humanities, and the Office of International Programs.

"China Rising and the World" is offered free to the campus community and general public on a drop-in basis or $150 for two units of academic credit on a pass/no-pass basis through the Open University, College of Extended Learning.

The lectures, which began on Aug. 29, take place on Wednesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:55 p.m. through Dec. 5 on the SF State campus in HSS (Health and Human Services building) room 154. Class will not be held on Nov. 21.

For more information, including the schedule of topics, visit the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Web site or call College of BSS Special Projects Coordinator and the series facilitator, Kathy Johnson, at (415) 405-2402.

-- Denize Springer