STUDENT OP-EDS

STUDENT OP-EDS

STUDENT OP-EDS STUDENT OP-EDS

Student Voices, Converging Horizons.

At Converging Horizons, we believe that the most powerful ideas emerge when young people listen to each other, challenge assumptions, and discover new common ground. Our Op-Eds are the heart of this work.

Every published piece begins as a dialogue between two students—one from the United States, one from China. First, each student writes an individual op-ed to share their personal perspective on a chosen theme. Then, the pair collaborates on a joint piece that weaves together both viewpoints. The result is a powerful essay that highlights differences in lived experience, while also revealing surprising connections and shared concerns.

Through these writings, you’ll hear authentic student voices on some of the most pressing issues of our time, from climate change and technology to mental health and education. These op-eds are not just arguments; they are conversations across borders, offering a window into how the next generation is thinking about the challenges that shape our shared future.

Below, you can explore student work organized by theme!

Consumer Culture

Isaiah Lee, Freshman at the University of Chicago

Black Friday: Choosing Intention over Impulse

Isaiah Lee, a Freshman at the University of Chicago, reveals why saying no on Black Friday may be the most radical choice.

Jiayi Liu, Senior at Shanghai Jiaotong University

Double Eleven Shopping Festival: How Can China Move Beyond the Frenzy of Consumerism

Jiayi Liu, a Senior at Shanghai Jiaotong University, explores how a marketing experiment turned Singles’ Day into one of the world’s biggest shopping events.

Role of Government

Ethan Kletter, Junior at University of Southern California

The Role of Government in a Capitalist Society

Ethan Kletter, a Junior at the University of Southern California, argues that without rules, safety nets, and public goods, capitalism collapses under its own weight.

Huanqing Zhong, student at Fudan University

The Role of Government in the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics

Huanqing Zhong, a student at Fudan University, examines the balance between an effective market and a proactive government within China’s socialist system.

Education System

Rena Kim, Freshman at University of California Los Angeles

The Illusion of Equal Opportunity

Rena Kim, a Freshman at UCLA, argues that the American education system, while claiming to offer equal opportunity, systematically advantages students based on wealth, access, and prior support.

Zhixian Wang, Student at Peking University

Chinese Education: Striving Between Equity and Excellence

Zhixian Wang, a student at Peking University, contends that China’s pursuit of educational equity has come at the expense of creativity, holistic development, and substantive equality.