[MIT CSSA Outreach] Official statement from MIT CSSA regarding the"Visualizing Culture" issue - Attaching Chinese Version

[Lin Han]

Dear CSSA Members and Other Members of the Chinese Community Worldwide,

Earlier this morning, the MIT Chinese Student and Scholar Association 
(CSSA) had an in-depth discussion with the MIT administration on the 
issue of the Visualizing Cultures website, specifically the "Throwing 
Off Asia" unit. This is a scholarly research project, and there is no 
art exhibition associated with it. Representatives from the 
President's Office, the MIT News Office, and the research group 
behind the website were all present. The meeting has resulted in a 
constructive agreement.

The research group recognized the need to contextualize these 
sensitive materials and pledged to continue a dialogue with CSSA and 
other groups to address this issue.

Professors Dower and Miyagawa have expressed deep regret over the 
emotional distress caused by some of the imagery and are genuinely 
sorry that the website has caused pain within the Chinese community.

The agreed resolution is as follows:

1. Official statements from both MIT and Professors Dower and 
Miyagawa, which will be posted as a link off the MIT home page 
shortly and permanently reside on the MIT News Office website, and 
distributed to the Chinese community worldwide.

2. Organize a public forum to facilitate a discussion on the use of 
sensitive imagery. The Committee on Campus Race Relations (CCRR) is 
currently organizing a panel discussion on visual imagery that is 
scheduled to take place in early May (date and location to be determined).

3. The Visualizing Cultures research team will address how it 
contextualizes sensitive content by providing appropriate language to 
prepare users for the graphic material depicted. The research team is 
looking to CSSA for feedback and future dialogue.

As stated previously, CSSA is strongly opposed to any irrational 
behavior. Any feedback from individuals on this issue is welcome.

Best regards,

MIT Chinese Student and Scholar Association
Huan Zhang, President
Lin Han, Vice President

The Chinese version is attached in the pdf file. 
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