Western Perceptions on Confucius Institute Advancement of Chinese Language and Culture: A Narrative Review

This study deeply focuses on the perceptions surrounding the operations of Confucius Institute (henceforth CI) in western countries. From the body of academia, intellectual groups and policy makers, CI cooperation with partner institutions are being criticized of hidden agendas through the application of soft power, interferences in host institutions academic work, funding of projects, teacher recruitments, and teaching and learning contents. The above stated issues of western researchers and policy makers have indeed created a negative perception against all CI centers and their operations. This research applied a narrative review of experienced and endowed researchers’ works, associations’ reports, conference and meeting reports, and media publications on CI operations in some western countries. A detail review was conducted on the diverse perceptions being held by these bodies. Eleven qualitative articles out of a 25 were covered due to its clarity and direct relation with the objectives of this review. These articles were found to be very representative with its coverage location. The findings of this review are presented in three parts as follows: Firstly, there are misrepresentations of perceptions on CIs as an arm of Chinese government soft power partner institutions influencing academic work. Secondly, there are contradicting opinions from host institutions and other stakeholders about the clarity of China’s CI in other countries. And thirdly, an in-depth attention was given to the global objectives of all CIs in foreign countries, the extend of transformational changes taking place and possible recommendations that will foster a healthy future cooperation among CI, partner institutions, and respective countries government.