Oxford China Academics
Rana Mitter has published on the political and cultural history of 20thcentury China. His interests include the Republican period, the Cold War and Sino-Japanese Relations. His publications include ‘The Manchurian Myth: Nationalism, Resistance and Collaboration in Modern China and A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World’ for which he was named Young Academic Author of the Year by the Times Higher Education Supplement in 2005 and ‘Modern China: A Very Short Introduction’. He also presents and contributes regularly to programmes on television and radio.
I was recently asked to interview Henry Kissinger for BBC radio, on the occasion of the publication of his new book On China. Something of an unnerving prospect – on the one hand, clearly one of the most controversial figures of the Cold War, on the other, one of the few still left who can claim to have taken part in an event that really did change the way the world works. We had time for an extended conversation, which stretched from his views of Truman and Eisenhower, through the Nixon visit, to more contemporary issues of human rights and democracy. I think there are some interesting answers there, some of which we haven’t heard before from Kissinger.
I was recently asked to interview Henry Kissinger for BBC radio, on the occasion of the publication of his new book On China. Something of an unnerving prospect – on the one hand, clearly one of the most controversial figures of the Cold War, on the other, one of the few still left who can claim to have taken part in an event that really did change the way the world works. We had time for an extended conversation, which stretched from his views of Truman and Eisenhower, through the Nixon visit, to more contemporary issues of human rights and democracy. I think there are some interesting answers there, some of which we haven’t heard before from Kissinger.
Henry Kissinger and Rana Mitter
The invitation came because of a happy coincidence between two of my activities. My job is professor of the history and politics of modern China at Oxford, and for more than a decade, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching some of the world’s brightest undergraduates and graduates about the recent, often bloody past, and intriguing future of one of the world’s most important society. I’ve also had a chance to pursue new directions in research, including a 5-year project generously funded by the Leverhulme Trust on World War II and its effect on China. But I’ve also had the chance to do freelance radio broadcasting as a presenter for BBC Radio 3 (the classical music and serious talk programme), and BBC World Service, hosting discussion shows on the arts, politics, and culture in the widest sense (not just on China).
In this case, the two areas came together very nicely – I was able to use my knowledge of Chinese history to ask Kissinger about his role in China’s recent history, and my experience as a broadcaster to present those questions for a broader audience.
--- Written in June 2011 ---
In this case, the two areas came together very nicely – I was able to use my knowledge of Chinese history to ask Kissinger about his role in China’s recent history, and my experience as a broadcaster to present those questions for a broader audience.
--- Written in June 2011 ---