The Reasons For The Hindrance Of The Development Of Confucius Institutes In The United States

Confucius Institutes shoulder the responsibility of communicating Chinese language and culture as well as enhancing mutual understanding between China and other countries. Nevertheless, the proliferation of Confucius Institutes causes controversy and query at home and abroad. Especially in the United States with the largest number of Confucius Institutes, Confucius Institutes arouse negative reports from the media and receive criticism from the scholars and hindrance from the government.In this thesis, two methods to illustrate the reasons why American Confucius Institutes are hindered during the process of development cover textual analysis and comparative research. Textual analysis is used to analyze the news reports of Confucius Institute in American media and to discuss the problems of Confucius Institutes themselves according to the literature. Moreover, the comparative analysis will be used to compare Confucius Institutes with other overseas language promotion institutes, aiming to demonstrate the reasons why American Confucius Institutes are hindered during the process of development including lack of teaching resources、politicalization of American Confucius Institutes and insufficiency of communication contents and strategies.The main body of the thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter One will address the lack of teaching resources of American Confucius Institutes including lack of professional faculty, and singleness of teaching material. Chapter Two will discuss politicalization of American Confucius Institutes from the perspectives of financial support, operation mode and publicity of Confucius Institutes. Chapter three will argue weaknesses of Confucius Institutes in cultural communication covering insufficiency of communication contents and strategies.Finally, the thesis arrives at the conclusion that Confucius Institutes should endeavor to resolve their own problems in development, alleviating international query and promoting cultural prosperity.