Dewey and China's Encounters With the West

Abstract

The extraordinary event of John Dewey ’ s more than two-year stay in China at a time when the country was undergoing an imminent and profound historical transformation, as well as the subsequent rise and fall of his in fl uence, merits analysis on many levels. The most comprehensive and in-depth analysis can be found in Zhang and Garrison ’ s edited book, John Dewey and Chinese Education: A Centennial Re fl ection . The book does more than investigating this event from historical and sociocultural perspectives. It includes comparative and philosophical analyses of Dewey ’ s philosophical and educational ideas in dialogue with Chinese and Eastern thoughts, highlighting the many lessons we can learn as we consider the future of a nation that, once again