President of the US-based World History Association, Professor Alfred Andrea (Emeritus, University of Vermont) is on an academic trip to the Global History Center (GHC), Capital Normal University, Sept. 4-17, 2010.

During his stay, Prof. Andrea gave three lectures to students of CNU on three topics: the Silk Road and World History; Holy War from World History Perspective; and Teaching and Research in World History.

On Sept. 8, Prof. Al Andrea joined in a lively audience of the GHC with questions and answers on the two themes of the 2011 WHA conference to be hosted by CNU, China in World History, and World History from Center and Periphery. The latter theme, according to Al, is a convenient tool for world historians to address the issue of shifting balances in history, either economically, socio-politically, or culturally.

Prof. Al Andrea stressed the trans-cultural/regional/national quality of world history research, which sheds light on a panoramic vision of human progress. Meanwhile, he stressed the need for students of world history to carry on rigorous academic research by reading archival materials, thinking critically and microscopically, while not neglecting a global vision and the interactive processes involved therein.

Prof. Al Andrea also introduced four commonly employed methodologies in world history research, namely the comparative approach, the contact-interaction-exchange module, the convergence/divergence scenario, and the center-periphery perspective.