The Globalization Then and Now: Xi’an and the Silk Road program is a palpable sampling of China’s essence – old and new. It focuses on the confluence of arts, cultures and commerce during the periods in the world’s history when China (and Xi’an in particular) was by many accounts the most advanced and sophisticated spot on the globe. This program offers students a curriculum of Chinese language and English-taught courses in several disciplines including Chinese history, literature, contemporary culture, art and anthropology. An integrated two-week Field Study Trip along the ancient Silk Road, beginning at its eastern terminus in Xi'an, provides exhilarating hands-on opportunities to learn about western China's globalization across the centuries and today. Students may enroll for a semester, summer, or academic year, or a combination of a semester and summer term. Students are encouraged to consider spending their second term in China in a different Alliance program to deepen their knowledge of China's regional diversity.