Understanding Communist China ― Communist China Studies in the United States and the Republic of China, 1949-1978

In the 1960s and 1970s American private foundations and government agencies spent over $40 million to support contemporary Chinese studies and train Americans to become experts on Communist China. How well did these programs, support facilities, and experts contribute to a better understanding of the complex events an changes that took place in the world's most populous country? Kuo and Myers survey and appraise that research by comparing it with the research facilities and experts in the Republic of China (Taiwan) where efforts were underway to understand the dynamics of change that occurred between 1949 and 1978, probably the most turbulent period in China's modern history. By referring to a small sample of learned journals and monographs, they develop a methodology for evaluating area research on Communist China. Their overall findings enable Kuo and Myers to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of American and Chinese research and proposed how the internationalization of research on communist countries like China could be greatly improved in the future.

Tai-chun Kuo is a research fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University. Previously, she was a visiting lecturer at the Center for East Asian Studies, Stanford University (2003) and an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of American Studies, Tamkang University (Taiwan, 1997-2000). She served as press secretary to the Republic of China (ROC) president (1990-95), deputy director-general of the First Bureau of the Presidential Office (1989-97), and director of the ROC Government Information Office in Boston (1987-88).

Ramon H. Myers is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. He received his PhD in economics from the University of Washington. After joining the Hoover Institution, Myers became a member of the US Wheat Studies Delegation to the People's Republic of China in May-June 1976; served as a consultant to the Food Agricultural Organization, Rome, Italy, from November 1979 to January 1980; and taught as a visiting professor of economics at National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, in 1990-91.