Seeking modernity, brain gain, and brain drain: The historical evolution of Chinese students' overseas education in the United States since modern China.

摘要

This thesis is an historical research project that examines major waves of Chinese students studying in the United States since the mid-nineteenth century, as well as the impact of returned, American-educated Chinese students to the modernization of Chinese society. It also discusses the trend and pattern of the current wave after 1978 and compare it with previous waves. The analysis and examination of this thesis is based on a wide variety of written documents in both Chinese and English, including historical literatures, academic articles, dissertations, surveys, government publications, statistical data from both primary and secondary sources, as well as educational organization records.