GoKunming Forums

PhD Programs in northern Kunming?

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

Zero in China.

But if you do not intend to remain here, you may find a Chinese angle at religion or related philosophy or any human science worth much more in job markets abroad.

And certainly such studies could help to understand China and Chinese better.

Or at least have an argument when the Chinese say you are foreigner and don't understand China whenever you disagree with them about anything.

alienew (422 posts) • 0

Acquiring wealth is not a good reason for getting a PhD anyway, and in Religious Studies and many other fields it is a particularly absurd one.

dolphin (509 posts) • -5
Comment hidden by user downvote Click to expand

Ok, let's get you warmed up with an un-official pre-entrance exam.

This is the "What do you know about Pope Francis?" Quiz:

Question 1: From What Country is Pope Francis?

a) Argentina

b) Italy

c) Mexico

d) United States

e) none of the above

f) all of the above

dolphin (509 posts) • -1

> Or at least have an argument when the Chinese say you are foreigner and don't understand China whenever you disagree with them about anything.

That's absurd ...

@alienew, what motivations do people have for getting Phds if not to get a good job?

michael2015 (784 posts) • +1

In my personal opinion, Religious Studies is a valuable and complicated endeavor, akin to sociology, but with a specific focus on the religious aspects of historical and contemporary society, depending on one's focus and purpose.

Religions are some of the most enduring institutions in the history of the world and arguably provided the world various forms of social structure and leadership, when we needed such things. There is no known corporation (conspiracy theories aside), with a lifespan spanning millennia (thousands of years).

The Hindu or Buddhist religions have rigid caste systems - which somewhat resemble traditional corporate, family, and governmental structures.

Studying how religions can maintain cross generational and cross cultural sustainability has tremendous applications to international business.

The fanatical devotion religion can inspire is similar to the Apple cult and company sales staff are akin to religious evangelists.

Finally, without fully encompassing the diverse and complex structures of religion - many religions demonstrate social responsibility - with the care, feeding, and education of orphans, the sick, the poor, and the needy.

Generally religions are open to all - regardless of gender, race, age, etc.

So, I would think a PhD in religious studies could be extraordinarily beneficial to corporations, governments, and families at the corporate level and Board Level as a consultant on organizational management, team building, culture and behavior, etc, taking out the superstition component and replacing it somewhat with family, corporate, or national figureheads as leadership examples.

Liumingke1234 (3297 posts) • 0

We are talking about China here. Religion means crap here. It is a useless degree here in China period!

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

We were taught a number of ideologies within our Religious Studies curriculum in high school (back in the 70s), this included communism.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • +2

I don't know if some people are deliberately not seeing @alienew's point. He made the mistake of identifying one area of study that was then derided as pointless. That perhaps proves his point. Wealth is not the primary reason for studying a PhD in many fields.
Reasons for doing a PhD also include: being able to continue to study a topic that you really love, doing research that benefits humankind (scientifically, sociologically, even spiritually), extending the body of academic knowledge for its own sake, and for some self actualization. Not all study is about getting a higher degree to earn more money.

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