Concepts and History: John Dunn's Lectures in China

Part I Preface

In this part the editor of this anthology will introduce following three contents: 1. The academic work of Professor Dunn; 2. Why was Professor Dunn invited by Renmin University of China. 3. The details of Professor Dunn's three academic activities in China.

Part II Why we Need a Global History of Political Thought?

On November 6, 2019, Professor Dunn gave a speech titled "why we need a global history of political thought" which is open to all the teachers and students of Renmin University. This speech is Professor Dunn's new work specially written for Chinese audients, aiming to transcend the dilemma of the history of political thought of the East and the west, and consider the history of political thought from a global perspective.

Part III Historical Method of Political Thought: the Vision of Cambridge School

On November 8, 2019, as the first activity of "workshop of history and political science" of Renmin University of China, Professor Dunn started a dialogue with famous scholars in the field of Chinese Political Science under the title of "historical method of political thought: the vision of Cambridge School". Chinese scholars participating in the dialogue include: Professor Li Qiang of Peking University, Professor Cui Zhiyuan of Tsinghua University, Professor Ci Jiwai of Hong Kong University, Professor Ren Feng of Renmin University of China, Associate Professor Duan Demin of Peking University, Associate Professor Shi Li of Renmin University of China, Associate Professor Huang Xuan of China University of political science and law, assistant professor Zhang Xingang of Peking University, and assistant professor Zheng Quanwen of Tianjin Normal University. Assistant professor Huang Chen of Renmin University acted as the host. The discussion was warm and fruitful. Chinese and foreign scholars had in-depth exchanges on the role, scope and significance of historical methods in the study of political and ideological history.

Part IV Seeing Democracy Historically

On November 9, 2019, Professor Dunn, as a special guest, made a keynote speech entitled "Seeing Democracy Historically" at the academic international conference of "Contemporary China's State Construction from the Perspective of Historical Politics" organized by the Department of Politics, School of international relations, Renmin University of China. Professor Dunn reviewed how democracy spread to all parts of the world in the past 2500 years and continuously exerted its influence; and pointed out that the spread of democratic system has a high complexity in time and space dimensions.

Part V An Interview with Prof. John Dunn on Political Theory This part is an interview did by Prof. Shi Li with Professor Dunn, in 2016, Cambridge. The contents are about the academic research of Professor Dunn, including John Locke's political thoughts, democracy, revolutions and global history of political thoughts.