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Religious Traditions and Economic Practices in China
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Harvard Club of New York City
35 W. 44th Street
New York, New York

Michael J. Puett, Professor of Chinese History, Harvard University


“Religious Traditions and Economic Practices in China”



The People’s Republic of China has recently begun pouring money into the development of green technology – so much so that China is clearly positioning itself to become a major leader in green technology over the next several decades.  This fact has caused some surprise in the international community, however, since currently China is also, along with the United States, one of the worst polluters in the world.  This seeming contradiction has provoked a great deal of speculation in America concerning notions of the environment in China.



This seminar will study some of the ways in which these conflicting views about the environment are in part informed by religious values.  We will thus explore some of the complex visions that developed in Chinese religions concerning the ways that humans should relate to the natural world, and we will explore how these visions are continuing to play a role in current debates in China concerning the environment.



For examples of recent discussions in the West concerning the new focus on green technology in China, please see the following:





http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2601



http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091114/wl_asia_afp/apecchinaenvironmenttrade



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125256399493998709.html



http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/08/10/china’s-green-leap-forward/



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Harvard Divinity School - Business Across Religious Traditions