This commentary on Wu Zongjie's article "Interpretation, autonomy and transformation: Chinese pedagogic discourse in a cross-cultural perspective" begins by suggesting the usefulness of Wu's polar opposite depiction of Confucian and modern pedagogy as ideal types for comparative exploration. It goes on to suggest that the term…

Reflects on the recent development of comparative education, focusing on modernity's ongoing possibilities and the value of metanarrative as providing meaning and a space for negotiating shared values across cultures. Discusses research on China's and Japan's experiences of education and modernity to illustrate how the author's search for meaning…

A theory of communicative action is suggested as a framework for examining the quality and nature of the intellectual interaction between Chinese scholars and their counterparts in the universities of the capitalist world. Recent Chinese political events are linked to a fundamental change in the knowledge orientation of Chinese universities. (MSE)