Finding Institutional Space and Carving out Flexibility: Digital Humanities Pedagogy in China

DH pedagogy, as it is broadly understood, is still very new toChina. In this paper, we present the main debates that DH pedagogy provokes within the Chinese higher education system andreflects on critical local conditions in the global digital humanitieslandscape. Although the Chinese government has stressed the importance of information and communications technology (ICT),the teaching that focuses on the convergence of ICT and the humanities is restricted to professional education in specific disciplines, such as information science and library science.
We present three observations about DH pedagogy in China.First, the role of teaching DH in academic disciplines, general education, and interdisciplinary initiatives respectively in China are geared towards different purposes in the national education system. Second, we argue that all the existing DH pedagogical efforts in the country lie in the relatively flexible area that exists informally between institutional structures, with the exception of a new DH Ph.D. program. Third, we underscore the importance of academic conferences as pedagogical events in China, although overseas scholars have not been able to visit in person since the pandemic. We draw from our experience teaching DH in various formats in China, as well as in building DH communities and capacity in such communities. We also draw from our recent observations of China amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and expect our arguments to inform the promotion of DH pedagogy internationally.