What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate?

What happens after a Barbarian walks away from the Gate?

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and I discuss new directions. We reflect on our COVID-era episodes, discuss the current situation on academic exchanges in China with cautious optimism, and outline future plans for the pod.

Seeking News, Making China

Seeking News, Making China

In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, we talk to historian John Alekna about his new book "Seeking News, Making China," which examines the role of information technology in 20th-century China, from the early radio era to the Cultural Revolution.

Peter Goullart: Forgotten Kingdom

Peter Goullart: Forgotten Kingdom

20 years after “Shangri-La” was coined in the Western imagination, a Russian adventurer published a memoir from the valley of Lijiang, southwest China, that is strikingly similar yet a world apart.

The Mountains are High

The Mountains are High

On the latest episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David and I welcome back author (and friend of the podcast) Alec Ash to talk about Dali, rural escapism in China today, and his latest book, The Mountains Are High.

Exile from Expat-Ville

Exile from Expat-Ville

David and Jeremiah speak with Mike Wester about running @thebeijinger, organizing the “Safe and Sane” communities during the pandemic, and the future of expats in Beijing. Also, Jeremiah surprises David and Mike with an announcement.

Ellen La Motte: An American Nurse in Peking

Ellen La Motte: An American Nurse in Peking

In 1916, an American activist and writer traveled to China from the frontlines of World War I. What she saw in the city delighted her; what she saw in the opium trade appalled her.

No Laughing Matters: The State of Stand-up in China Today

No Laughing Matters: The State of Stand-up in China Today

On this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, David Moser and Jeremiah talk to journalist Chang Che about the state of comedy and entertainment in China and the precarious nature of creative expression in an increasingly ideological cultural landscape.

History Wars: The PRC pushes back against unsanctioned views of the past

History Wars: The PRC pushes back against unsanctioned views of the past

David and I discuss what's going on with the Qing history project, a controversy about Genghis Khan in France, and how PRC continues punching back against potentially problematic pasts.

Do you really need to learn to write characters to study Chinese?

Do you really need to learn to write characters to study Chinese?

Hosting solo in this week’s episode, David takes a geeky deep dive into the digital revolution in Chinese language learning in conversation with Chinese language pedagogy expert Matt Coss. 

Asymmetrical warfare in the battle over China’s past

Asymmetrical warfare in the battle over China’s past

Chinese history — very distant and very near — is filled with people who did not, and do not, abide by the government's "official" version of events. Ian Johnson gives them a voice in his latest book, Sparks.

A Career of Change Making: A Conversation with Isabel Nepstad of Bellaterra Consulting

A Career of Change Making: A Conversation with Isabel Nepstad of Bellaterra Consulting

Isabel Nepstad, CEO of BellaTerra Consluting, takes time out of her busy schedule to drop by the Barbarians at the Gate studio to share her career journey, give advice to those looking to pursue their professional lives in China and discuss the challenges and opportunities in the environmental and agricultural sectors in China and around the world.