HKU Bulletin April 2006 (Vol. 7 No. 2)

20 21 Demand Increases for Humanities T he Faculty of Arts’ first appointed Dean sees the role of the humanities increasing as businesses demand flexible students who are able to think critically and adapt to an ever-changing workplace. Professor Kam Louie, former Professor of Chinese at the Australian National University in Canberra, said: “Business people have told me that what they want is graduates who have an all- round education with a humanities element, and they will train them in the business concerned. “It’s clear that students need to be flexible enough to be trained. That’s what humanities can offer and people in charge of businesses know that.” He also believes the Faculty – one of the University’s oldest – is perfectly positioned to serve as a conduit in interpreting the cultures of both the east and the west. “The reason I decided to come to HKU,” he explained, “is because the University is well-placed to act as a gateway between China and the rest of the world. Even in Australia I saw myself as a facilitator for the interchange between Chinese and Western culture and I think that HKU is an ideal place to do that. I would like to establish the Arts Faculty as a world leader in this area.” His vision is to interpret Chinese culture to the west and vice versa. But, he stressed: “That vision does not interfere with the teaching and research that is ongoing in the Faculty at the moment. So even if you’re studying medieaval French you can still do that well and, at the same time, introduce it to a Chinese audience. “I think it’s exciting and also very important because, as you know, China is increasing in importance and Chinese culture is doing so as well. There’s been a lot of talk about the 21st century being the Asian century. China is playing a very dominant role in that and so the vision for the Faculty is very significant, internationally, because Hong Kong, as everyone says, is ideally placed to play that role. And that’s why I was so excited to have this opportunity.” Last year the Faculty drew up a research strategy that emphasized three priority areas. They were East and West Studies; Language and Communication; and ‘The Urban’. “And that’s fine, but one of the priorities of the University is also China Studies and I’ve had many discussions with faculty members and I think every department in the Faculty has decided that the theme running through all three areas ought to be China. “So even when we’re talking about ‘The Urban’ we’re talking about Shanghai and Hong Kong. Similarly, academics in American or European Studies might look at Sino-American Studies.” What makes this approach unique is the Western critical eye that the Faculty is able to impose on the study of China culture and vice versa. As Louie said: “Many academics in China studies here have been educated abroad. So they have a Western critical eye. And that works both ways. This is very different to the approach taken by academics in China doing the same studies. In that sense, HKU has a unique edge and, I believe, we can achieve world ranking in this area.” Louie describes himself as ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’, hinting at the diversity of his educational background. He gained a BA in Pure Mathematics and Philosophy before a masters in Chinese History and a PhD in Chinese Philosophy. Equally he has taught in both Australia and China and, for many years, explained Chinese culture to a Western audience. His first two books explored Chinese philosophy and the political uses of philosophy before he developed an interest in Chinese literature and moved from there on to a consideration of gender in his book, Theorising Chinese Masculinity . Now he sees the value of the humanities as only increasing in Hong Kong. “It’s almost inevitable that when people’s livelihoods increase they want a better quality of life. I don’t think it will take long before Hong Kong reaches the stage where people will start to demand that. “I’ve noticed that Hong Kong has changed a lot since 1997. There’s a lot more confidence here now. There isn’t that mad rush to make money and get out as there was before the handover, and when people decide that they’d rather stay here, then it makes sense that they will demand a better quality of life here. Once they start doing that then the humanities will become progressively more important.” PEOPLE