Bearing Witness: Documenting China's Rise

February 9, 2012

*Registration Full*

Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of Asian Heritage Month

Read the article about this event in UofT News.

Date: Friday March 2, 2012
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility

SPEAKERS:
Ryan Pyle
Speaker
Award winning documentary photographer

Joseph Wong
Chair
Canada Research Chair, Department of Political Science and Director, Asian Institute, University of Toronto

CONTACT INFO: Aga Baranowska

DESCRIPTION:
China, in the last thirty years, has industrialized faster than any other nation in our history. This policy of rapid economic growth has been successful in many respects, but it has left many pockets of un-even growth and helped build a culture of greed. This, in turned, has created a battleground between the “have’s” and “have-nots”. These gaps in wealth, access and influence can be realized by looking closely at the differences between: rural and urban lifestyles, the economics of labor, the lack of a social safety net, and faltering of China’s higher education systems.

Just recently the world witnessed a massive shift in Chinese demographics, as there are now 51% of people living in urban settings. This new reality of becoming a country of urban dwellers will greatly affect the labor market, social security, access to information, access to education and ambitions of University graduates. Join Ryan Pyle as he walks through some of his behind the scenes examples and stories from covering these stories, and more, for some of the world’s leading newspapers and magazines.

Canadian born, award winning, documentary photographer Ryan Pyle first visited China in 2001. After a three-month trip around the country he was hooked. He has never left since. It was very much Ryan’s first trip to China that inspired him to enter the discipline of photography, and since then his imagery has graced the pages of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, Newsweek, Fortune, The Sunday Times Magazine and the Financial Times Magazine. Born in Toronto, Canada, Ryan Pyle spent his early years close to home. After obtaining a degree in International Politics from the University of Toronto in 2001, Ryan realized a life long dream and traveled to China on an exploratory mission. In 2002 Ryan moved to China permanently and in 2003 began taking freelance newspaper and magazine assignments. In 2004 Ryan became a regular contributor to the New York Times. In 2009 Ryan was listed by PDN Magazine as one of the 30 emerging photographers in the world. Ryan Pyle is an award winning photographer, television presenter, filmmaker and author. Ryan is based full time in Shanghai, China.

Canada Tour launches in Toronto. Ryan Pyle will be also speaking at the following universities:
McGill University – March 5
University of Ottawa – March 7
University of Alberta – March 9
University of British Columbia – March 12
University of Manitoba – March 14

CO-SPONSORED BY: Asian Institute, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Mandarin House Language School