The dramatic changes in China over the past thirty years, far from being an aberration, are a continuation of a dynamic past. This course provides the student with a broadest possible overview of Chinese history, politics, and society to prepare you for your future courses, travels, and time in Beijing. We will explore a range of issues, both contemporary and historical, as we seek a means to grapple with China’s past, present, and future. In this course the students will:
1. Develop a basic understanding of Chinese history
2. Be introduced to the core issues affecting China today
3. Be exposed to a broad range of opinions on historical and contemporary issues in China.
Office Hours: Monday, 3:30-4:30 or by appointment
Class times: Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Classroom: IES Activity Room, 3rd Floor
Prerequisites:
None
Additional student cost:
None
Attendance policy:
IES has a strict attendance policy for area studies classes and it will be enforced in this class. Each unexcused absence will lower your overall grade by a step (e.g. a B becomes a B-). Please see the IES Handbook for further guidelines on documenting absences. Please show up to class on time, three times being tardy without a proper excuse will count as an unexcused absence.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the semester, students should:
Possess a deeper understanding of China’s recent history.
Be able to make connections between current events and trends and the past, thus developing a more nuanced perspective on contemporary conditions.
Method of presentation:
This course is conducted principally as a seminar with the occasional use of lecture or film.
All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade.
Grades are assigned according to the following point system:
A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66
A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 F 62 or below
B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69
Grading criteria:
C work means adequate and satisfactory completion of assignments. It indicates you were able to recall the basic subject matter of the course, apply that knowledge in discussions and written assignments, and express your ideas and arguments in an intelligible but otherwise undistinguished manner.
B work is good. It means you recall more than just the basic facts and that you can apply that knowledge in a way that makes connections with your own ideas and observations. You express your ideas and arguments with great clarity and concision.
A work is excellent. It means that you have an absolute mastery of the subject matter. You can apply your knowledge in critical and original ways, and express your ideas in a very clear and persuasive manner while drawing on a variety of sources to support your arguments.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Class Participation & Attendance 15%. Woody Allen once said 90% of success in life is just showing up. Well, the sentiment is right even if the percentage is a bit off. IES has a strict attendance policy for Area Studies classes and it will be enforced in this class. EACH unexcused absence will lower your overall grade by a step (e.g. a B becomes a B-). Please see the IES Handbook for further guidelines on documenting absences. Please show up to class on time, three times being tardy without a proper excuse will count as an unexcused absence (see above).
Preparation is essential to participation. There is a lot of reading for this class. Some of it is mandatory, some of it is optional. Homework assignments and the occasional pop quiz will no doubt contribute to your motivation to plow through it, but I also feel that to truly get something out of this course and to promote an atmosphere of lively discussion and debate in the class, it is imperative that you have done the day’s reading and carefully considered the information in the overall context of that day’s class and the course in general.
Reading Questions/Class Responses 50%: These are short assignments to get you thinking about the readings and site visits for that week. Your total answers need not be extensive (500-750 words total) but should show careful thought and consideration of the readings and the questions asked. Questions will be sent out following class and are due by email (to jjenne@iesabroad.org) by the start of the next class.
Map Quiz 5%: This quiz will test your knowledge of China’s geography. A study sheet will be provided prior to the quiz.
Interview Project 30%: Students will formulate their own question or set of questions and conduct a series of interviews in the local community. Students will then write a short (1500 word) report of their findings due the last week of class.
Keeping Current: As this class is about contemporary China, it is important that students keep abreast of ongoing stories, themes, and events. The following websites are HIGHLY recommended and I will assume that students are checking them regularly and will refer to stories posted their from time to time. You may need a VPN to access some of these sites.
China Digital Times – Must-read source for China news/translations. Blocked.
China Beat – More academic, with contributions from many authors on a wide range of topics.
China Dialogue – bilingual site focusing on environmental and development issues in China
China Geeks – run by recent college graduates, does translations of interesting/important pieces from the Chinese media and Internet
China Law Blog – follows legal and business trends in the PRC
China Media Project – tracking news stories, journalism, and censorship in China. Based at Hong Kong University.
ChinaSmack – The “Jerry Springer” to ChinaGeeks “PBS.” Always entertaining.
EastSouthWestNorth - Tracks and translates the Chinese media and Internet.
Deadline Extensions must be requested in advance, and will be granted only in exceptional cases. If you are not granted an extension in advance, your grade will be lowered by one step for every 24 hour period after the due date. Homework assignments lose one step (check plus becomes check, etc.) for every 24-hour period late with a maximum of three days. Homework overdue by more than 72 hours will not be accepted for credit.
Academic Integrity All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty. Cheating or plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in substantial penalty to your course grade as well as lead to further administrative sanctions. If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, check with me before you submit your work.
content:
Aug 31 Course Introduction: What is Modern China?
Sep 1 “The ‘Dao’ that can be spoken of is not the real ‘Dao,’
Wasserstrom, pp. 1-18
Mitter, pp. 1-16
“Confucius” in John E. Wills, Jr. Mountain of Fame: Portraits in Chinese History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994. pp. 11-32
Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. Patricia Buckley Ebrey, ed. (New York: The Free Press, 1993)
“A Hero for the Times: A Winner in the Economic Reforms,” “Chairman Mao’s Ark: One of the Floating Population,” “The Non-Dissident: A Party Man Betrayed,” “Looking Ahead: The Founders of a Private Orphanage,” “The Computer Bug: The Software Pirate,” “Little Sweetie: A Thoroughly Modern Mistress,” “Generating Income: The Reeducation of an English Professor,” “Mastering New China: A Capitalist with the Party’s Characteristics,” “Down to Earth: Reflections of a Former Red Guard,” in Sang Ye, China Candid: The People on the People’s Republic. Geramie R. Barmé and Miriam Lang, eds. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006), pp. 13-58, 87-107, 157-165, 206-211, 235-243, 252-271
Film: China from the Inside - Power and the People
Sep 9 “Grass. Mud. Horse. This blog has been river-crabbed!”
Jeremiah Jenne is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at the University of California, Davis. He specializes in 19th-century Qing history and is currently researching anti-foreignism and colonialism in the coastal ('treaty port') cities of the Qing Empire. Other research interests include the Qing as an imperial(ist) power, the construction of identity during the Qing Dynasty, nationalism in modern China, and gender and the family in Late Imperial China. His essays have appeared in China in 2008: A Year of Great Significance and The Insiders Guide to Beijing, 2009 Edition. He also contributes articles to the Atlantic Monthly Online, Forbes Online, and the Chinese national newspaper, The Global Times.
Understanding China
The dramatic changes in China over the past thirty years, far from being an aberration, are a continuation of a dynamic past. This course provides the student with a broadest possible overview of Chinese history, politics, and society to prepare you for your future courses, travels, and time in Beijing. We will explore a range of issues, both contemporary and historical, as we seek a means to grapple with China’s past, present, and future. In this course the students will:
1. Develop a basic understanding of Chinese history
2. Be introduced to the core issues affecting China today
3. Be exposed to a broad range of opinions on historical and contemporary issues in China.
Office Hours: Monday, 3:30-4:30 or by appointment
Class times: Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-3:00 p.m.
Classroom: IES Activity Room, 3rd Floor
None
None
IES has a strict attendance policy for area studies classes and it will be enforced in this class. Each unexcused absence will lower your overall grade by a step (e.g. a B becomes a B-). Please see the IES Handbook for further guidelines on documenting absences. Please show up to class on time, three times being tardy without a proper excuse will count as an unexcused absence.
By the end of the semester, students should:
This course is conducted principally as a seminar with the occasional use of lecture or film.
Your grade will be assessed as follows:
Participation 15%
Map Quiz 5%
Reading Responses 50%
Interview Project 30%
All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing grade.
Grades are assigned according to the following point system:
A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66
A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 F 62 or below
B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69
Grading criteria:
C work means adequate and satisfactory completion of assignments. It indicates you were able to recall the basic subject matter of the course, apply that knowledge in discussions and written assignments, and express your ideas and arguments in an intelligible but otherwise undistinguished manner.
B work is good. It means you recall more than just the basic facts and that you can apply that knowledge in a way that makes connections with your own ideas and observations. You express your ideas and arguments with great clarity and concision.
A work is excellent. It means that you have an absolute mastery of the subject matter. You can apply your knowledge in critical and original ways, and express your ideas in a very clear and persuasive manner while drawing on a variety of sources to support your arguments.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Class Participation & Attendance 15%. Woody Allen once said 90% of success in life is just showing up. Well, the sentiment is right even if the percentage is a bit off. IES has a strict attendance policy for Area Studies classes and it will be enforced in this class. EACH unexcused absence will lower your overall grade by a step (e.g. a B becomes a B-). Please see the IES Handbook for further guidelines on documenting absences. Please show up to class on time, three times being tardy without a proper excuse will count as an unexcused absence (see above).
Preparation is essential to participation. There is a lot of reading for this class. Some of it is mandatory, some of it is optional. Homework assignments and the occasional pop quiz will no doubt contribute to your motivation to plow through it, but I also feel that to truly get something out of this course and to promote an atmosphere of lively discussion and debate in the class, it is imperative that you have done the day’s reading and carefully considered the information in the overall context of that day’s class and the course in general.
Reading Questions/Class Responses 50%: These are short assignments to get you thinking about the readings and site visits for that week. Your total answers need not be extensive (500-750 words total) but should show careful thought and consideration of the readings and the questions asked. Questions will be sent out following class and are due by email (to jjenne@iesabroad.org) by the start of the next class.
Map Quiz 5%: This quiz will test your knowledge of China’s geography. A study sheet will be provided prior to the quiz.
Interview Project 30%: Students will formulate their own question or set of questions and conduct a series of interviews in the local community. Students will then write a short (1500 word) report of their findings due the last week of class.
Keeping Current: As this class is about contemporary China, it is important that students keep abreast of ongoing stories, themes, and events. The following websites are HIGHLY recommended and I will assume that students are checking them regularly and will refer to stories posted their from time to time. You may need a VPN to access some of these sites.
Deadline Extensions must be requested in advance, and will be granted only in exceptional cases. If you are not granted an extension in advance, your grade will be lowered by one step for every 24 hour period after the due date. Homework assignments lose one step (check plus becomes check, etc.) for every 24-hour period late with a maximum of three days. Homework overdue by more than 72 hours will not be accepted for credit.
Academic Integrity All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty. Cheating or plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in substantial penalty to your course grade as well as lead to further administrative sanctions. If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, check with me before you submit your work.
Aug 31 Course Introduction: What is Modern China?
Sep 1 “The ‘Dao’ that can be spoken of is not the real ‘Dao,’
Sep 2 Legacies of Empire and Imperialism
Sep 5 Making China Modern
Sep 6 “Like the Morning Sun”
Film: “Morning Sun”
Sep 8 “China: Candid”
Sep 9 “Grass. Mud. Horse. This blog has been river-crabbed!”
Sep 12 “My Friends, What do you want from us?”
Sep 13 “To Get Rich is Glorious”
Sep 15 “Country Driving”
Sep 16 Panda Huggers and Dragon Slayers: Visions of China in the 21st Century
Rana Mitter, Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, (Oxford University Press, 2008)
Jeffrey Wasserstrom, China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, (Oxford
University Press, 2010)
David Bandurski, “Opium Wars and the perfidy of Google” China Media Project, March 6, 2011
Geramie Barmé, “China’s Promise,” The China Beat, January 20, 2010
Rachel Beitarie, “China’s Other Billion: Children of the Revolution,” China Digital Times, October 7, 2010
William A. Callahan, Pessoptimist Nation, pp. 31-59
Leslie T. Chang, Factory Girls, (2009) pp. 97-119
Sam Crane, “How Mencius Undermines Tyrants,” The Useless Tree, June 10, 2011
“Either Democratize or Don’t”: Netizens Respond to Hu Xijin’s “Path to Democracy” China Digital Times, May 5, 2011
“My Friends, What do you want from us?” China Digital Times, April 2008
“How well do you know Chinese Netizen Speak?” China Digital Times, August 8, 2011
“Tibet” in China in 2008, pp. 37-56
“Nationalism and the Torch” in China in 2008, pp. 68-78
Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. Patricia Buckley Ebrey, ed. (New York: The Free Press, 1993)
"A Righteous Fist," The Economist, December 16, 2010
James Fallows, “Arab Spring, Chinese Winter” The Atlantic Monthly, September 2011
“Fang Binxing To College Graduates: “Meld Your Own Growth With The Progress of Your Country” China Digital Times, April 3, 2011
Fang Ning, “China Must Not Have a Western Multi-Party System,” The People’s Daily, February 9, 2009, translated by China Digital Times
Peter Ford, “In China, middle-class affluence, not political influence,” Christian Science Monitor, May 20, 2011
Peter Hays Gries, China’s New Nationalism, pp. 1-29
Peter Hessler, Country Driving, (2010)
Andrew Huggins, “Ancient wisdom of Confucius reverberates in modern China” Washington Post, May 15, 2010
Will Hutton, “China will implode if it does not change its authoritarian ways” The Guardian, July 31, 2011
Ian Johnson, “The Rise of the Tao,” The New York Times, November 5, 2010
Ian Johnson, “I’m not interested in them, I wish they weren’t interested in me: A conversation with Liao Yiwu” New York Review of Books, August 15, 2011
Tom Lasseter, “Four Decades Later, China still isn’t discussing the Cultural Revolution” McClatchy Newspapers, August 24, 2010
Liao Yiwu, The Corpsewalker: Stories from Modern China
Julia Lovell, “China’s Conscience,” Guardian, June 12, 2010
Lu Xun, “My Old Home” in Lu Xun: The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China. Tr. By Julia Lovell, pp. 70-78
Rebecca MacKinnon, “China’s Internet White Paper: Networked Authoritarianism in Action,” RConversation, June 15, 2010
Jim Mann, The China Fantasy, (2008)
Richard McGregor, “Five Myths about the Communist Party,” Foreign Policy, January/February 2011
Richard McGregor, The Party, (2010)
Zachary Mexico, “The Uighur Jimi Hendrix,” in China Underground, pp. 95-113
Mu Chunshan, “Mao’s Legacy (still?) tears China apart,” The Diplomat, May 9, 2011
How Tyrants Endure, The New York Times, June 7, 2011
"China Remembers a Vast Crime" The New York Times, October 21, 2010
Evan Osnos, “Angry Youth: The New Generation’s Neocon Nationalists,” The New Yorker, July 28, 2008
Philip Pan, Out of Mao’s Shadow: The Struggle for the Soul of New China. (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008),
John Pomfret, Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of New China, (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2007), pp. 17-59
Qian Gang, “How the next 10 years will decide China’s future,” China Media Project, October 29, 2009
“Who are the Uyghurs?” in Oasis Identities: Uyghur Nationalism along China’s Silk Road, Justin Rudelson, ed., pp. 17-37
Sang Ye, China Candid: The People on the People’s Republic. Geramie R. Barmé and Miriam Lang, eds. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006)
SCIO Internet News Work Training Session, China Digital Times, December, 2009
Orville Schell, “China’s Agony of Defeat,” Newsweek, July 26, 2008
David Shambaugh, The Communist Party: Atrophy and Adaptation, (2010)
Susan Shirk, China: A Fragile Superpower (Oxford University Press, 2007)
Brian Spegele, “Inside China’s Underground Churches,” Wall Street Journal: China Real Time Report, July 28, 2011
Wang Xiaodong, It’s Up to the West to Face Why China is Unhappy (China Digital Times)
Jeff Wasserstrom, “Whose Road led to Hu’s China?” Miller-McClune, June 30, 2011
Jeffrey Wasserstrom, “Hot Dystopic: Orwell and Huxley at Shanghai’s World’s Fair,” The Los Angeles Review of Books, May 20, 2011
“Confucius” in John E. Wills, Jr. Mountain of Fame: Portraits in Chinese History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994. pp. 11-32
Yuan Weishi, “Modernization and History Textbooks,” China Youth Daily, January 11, 2006
Zhang Xiaoying, “What the West can Learn from China,” The Guardian, October 25, 2010
Zhao Qiang, “Loss of Control Over Public Opinion: A Catalyst for the Breakdown of the Soviet Union” Seeking Truth (Qiushi), November 1, 2010, translated by China Media Project
Zi Zhongyun, “Only a Nation that Can Reflect on its Past Can Have a Bright Future,” translated by China Media Project, February 2009
Jeremiah Jenne is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at the University of California, Davis. He specializes in 19th-century Qing history and is currently researching anti-foreignism and colonialism in the coastal ('treaty port') cities of the Qing Empire. Other research interests include the Qing as an imperial(ist) power, the construction of identity during the Qing Dynasty, nationalism in modern China, and gender and the family in Late Imperial China. His essays have appeared in China in 2008: A Year of Great Significance and The Insiders Guide to Beijing, 2009 Edition. He also contributes articles to the Atlantic Monthly Online, Forbes Online, and the Chinese national newspaper, The Global Times.