Yes, you’ve heard it all before. China is a fascinating, complex and important country. But for many of us who study China, it is also one big enigma. It is one of the world’s great civilizations with one of the longest, continuous histories in the world. But it is also a country that experienced Third World status and humiliation at the hands of Western and Japanese imperialists during the 19th and early
20th century. It’s the world’s second largest economy, yet in per capita terms, still a developing country. Since 1949, China has been governed by an ideology and government that is very different from the political system and society that we in the West are used to. Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, China
endured radical political movements like the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, but survived them to emerge as a strong, independent, industrial power. During the last 30 years, largely due to reforms instituted by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, China has embarked on a series of reforms that have
introduced free markets in China, opened the country to foreign trade and investment, and made China the fastest growing economy in the world. These reforms have been carried on successfully by Deng’s successors: Jiang Zemin, and now Hu Jintao.
Yet how much have the reforms really changed Chinese political system over these last 30 years, and what changes in the system can we expect in the near future? Is it still a totalitarian system where the state tries to control all aspects of society and culture? Is it a repressive, rigid authoritarian system that will grow increasingly unstable, resulting in revolution or collapse? Is it a stable, benevolent dictatorship that is becoming increasingly capable and legitimate? Is it an authoritarian system that is undergoing a transformation towards a more liberal, open society and possibly even democracy? In short, what are we to make of this peculiar blend of authoritarianism, socialism and capitalism? What should we call it, and does it have lasting power? These are questions that we will explore, debate, and ultimately try to answer in this class.
Prerequisites:
None
Additional student cost:
None
Attendance policy:
Regular attendance is crucial to your success in this class, and to the success of the class overall. IES has an attendance policy that will be enforced in this class. Each unexcused absence will result in your overall grade being lowered a step (e.g. from a B+ to a B). Proper documentation must be provided for all absences (see IES Handbook for guidelines about documenting absences). Being on time is also appreciated. Students should show up for class at least five minutes before class starts. Lateness will be penalized.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course students will be able to:
• Describe the overall geography and history of modern China, and confidently discuss politics and society in the PRC.
• Understand the political system, and continuities and changes in the relationship between the
Chinese state and society, and the factors shaping that relationship.
• Be able to identify and critically analyze important issues concerning contemporary Chinese political history and governance.
• Be able to make informed arguments and justify them both orally and in writing using a range of sources, including source material that takes advantage of your presence in China.
Method of presentation:
Lecture, Discussion, Guest Speakers, and Field Trips
Required work and form of assessment:
This course is organized as a seminar where you play an important part in discussing the videos and readings. The lectures and discussions are intended primarily to stimulate discussion and debates over important themes and issues covered in the reading.
Your grade will be based on:
Class Attendance, Participation, and Assignments 20%
Response Papers/Student Presentations 20%
Government Transparency Project 10% Midterm 25%
Final Paper/Interview 25%
TOTAL 100%
Effort and improvement will be taken into account.
Grading. Grades are assigned according to the following point system.
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
F 62 or less
The criteria for grades are spelled out in the Course Catalog. They are summarized briefly as follows:
C work is adequate. It means 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 undistinguished fashion.
B work is good. It means you were able to follow directions, recall more than just the basic elements, apply that knowledge in a way that makes connections with your own beliefs, other knowledge gained in this or other courses and to the world around you, and express your ideas and arguments clearly and concisely.
A work is excellent. It means you were able to follow directions, show a mastery of the subject matter, apply the knowledge in a critical and original manner, and express your ideas and arguments in a clear and persuasive manner.
Class Attendance and Participation (20%). Regular attendance is crucial to your success in this class. (See Attendance Policy below).
Student participation is an important part of your grade. You will be encouraged to be an active, assertive and thoughtful participant in class discussions. Your participation grade will be based on the following:
1. Your participation in discussing current Chinese political or social developments. The first few
minutes of each class will be devoted to a discussion of these current events.
2. The quality of your discussion of the assigned reading material. You will be asked to lead a discussion of the class readings every other class.
3. Courtesy and respect for other students. Allow other students a chance to express themselves.
4. Courtesy and respect for the instructor. You are expected to stay in class for the entire period and not take bathroom or water breaks unless it is an emergency.
5. Contribution to thoughtful discussion. You are expected to ask be attentive and inquisitive, ask
questions and otherwise express yourself in a thoughtful manner.
Response Papers/Student Presentations (20%). During each class session, students will prepare a one- page, single-spaced response paper to the assigned readings. The response paper should discuss a important theme or issue addressed by the readings, and raise questions for discussion. A separate handout on the response papers will be forthcoming.
Government Mapping Project (10%). This project will require each student to go out and record the location of Communist Party, government and/or military offices at various levels of administration. Projects will be graded on the number and diversity of offices recorded, and the quality of the records. A separate handout on this project will be forthcoming.
Midterm and Quizzes (25% pts). There will be a midterm, and announced and unannounced quizzes on geography and the readings.
Final Paper/Interview (25%). For your final assessment, you can choose between a final paper OR an interview. The paper should be around 2,500 words on the topic, “The Nature of Chinese Politics” and is
due the last day of class. The paper should put forth your own interpretation of Chinese politics, drawing on a range of sources for support: class readings, current events, field trips, and conversations and interviews with Chinese during your stay at IES. A separate handout on the paper assignment will be forthcoming. The other option is a 20 minute oral interview with me on the last day of class. In the
interview, I will ask you questions about the material covered in class, and you will respond with coherent, informed answers.
Deadline extensions must also be requested in advance, and will be granted only in exceptional cases. If you do not request an extension in advance and hand your assignment in late, your grade for that assignment will be lowered one step (B+ to a B, B to a B-, etc.) for every day it is late.
All students are expected to adhere to high standards of academic honesty. Cheating or plagiarism is not acceptable under any conditions.
OFFICE HOURS:
T and TH 12:30-1:30
content:
(Disclaimer: There may be a few changes in the readings and schedule during the semester. You’ll be given advance notice about any such changes.)
WEEK 1 (Oct. 13-14)
Oct. 13 Introduction to the course
Topics: What theories and frameworks can we use to understand Chinese politics?
Saich, Ch.1
Christiansen and Rai, Ch.1 (Coursepack)
Oct. 14 Political History, pre-1949
Questions: Why did socialism win out over nationalism and liberalism in 20th century
China? What does it mean to be Chinese in the 20th century?
Christiansen and Rai, Chs. 2 and 3 (Coursepack)
Gries, “The Century of Humiliation and Chinese National Identity” (Coursepack)
FIELDTRIP: Military Museum
WEEK 2 (Oct. 17-21)
Oct. 17 China Under Mao, 1949-1978
Questions: How did Mao shape New China? Was his legacy largely positive or negative?
Saich, Ch.2
Deng Xiaoping, Answers to the Italian Journalist; Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party; Wei Jingsheng “Democracy: The Fifth Modernization”; Kristof, “’Mao’: The Real Mao” (Coursepack)
Oct. 18 China Under Reform
Questions: What were Deng’s reforms and what impact did they have on China’s development?
Saich, Ch.3 (up to section ending in 1991)
Excerpts from Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State (Part 3, chs. 1, 10, 7, 9); Koo and Yeh on township, village and private enterprises; Zhao Ziyang, “Advance Along the Road of
Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” (Coursepack)
Oct. 20 China’s Political System
Questions: What does the Chinese political system look like in the 1980s, and how did it work in practice?
Skim 1982 PRC Constitution (Articles 1-7, 29-32, and Chapter 3) “How China is Ruled”, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/china_politics/government... Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State, “Hu Yaobang Resigns” and “Preparing for the Main Event” (Coursepack)
Oct. 21 The 1989 Protests
Questions: Why did the 1989 protests fail, and what was their significance?
Readings by Fang Lizhi, Deng Xiaoping, 1989 Wall Posters, Hunger Strike Manifesto, Ding
Zilin; Andrew Nathan, Introduction, The Tiananmen Square Papers (Coursepack)
WEEK 3 (Oct.24-28)
Oct. 24 China After Tiananmen and Deng
Questions: How did the 1989 protests change China’s development path? What was
Deng’s legacy? Is China’s development path capitalist or socialist or neither?
Saich, Ch.3 (the section starting with 1992)
Keidel, “Assessing China’s Economic Rise”; Huang, “China’s Other Path”; Nathan, “Authoritarian Resilience”; Pei, “The Dark Side of China’s Rise” (Coursepack)
Oct.25 Governance at the Center
Questions: What does the party-state in Beijing look like, how does it work, and how is it changing? Can it govern effectively?
Saich, Chs. 4-5
McGregor, “The Party Organizer”; Cheng Li , “Intraparty Democracy”; Yang, “State
Capacity on the Rebound”; Wang, “The Problems of State Weakness” (Coursepack) Hand in 3 samples of your Government Transparency project for review
Oct. 26 FIELDTRIP: Beijing Party School (Alternate Date: Oct. 25)
Oct. 27 MIDTERM
WEEK 4 (Oct.31-Nov.)
Oct. 31 Governance in the Localities
Questions: What does the party-state at the local level look like, how does it work, and what is its relationship with the center? Can it work with the center to govern effectively? How effective is local governance in the ethnic minority regions?
Saich, Ch.6
McGregor, “The Emperor is Far Away: The Party and the Regions”; Garnaut, “Bureaucrats help cement power of Chinese state”; Mackerras, “Tibetans, Uyghurs and multinational
‘China’” (Coursepack)
Nov. 1 The Social and Environmental Consequences of Reform
Questions: What kinds of social and environmental problems have emerged as a result of the reform process. What are the state and social organizations (e.g. NGOs) doing to
address those problems? What kind of problems do NGOs face in China?
Saich, ch.10
Readings by Hildebrandt and Turner, “Green Activism?”; Zhang Hong, “Navigating a Space for Labor Activism”; Kaufman, “The Role of NGOs in China’s AIDS crisis” (Coursepack)
Nov. 3 Political Participation and Protest
Questions: What channels exist for political participation in China? Are they sufficient to manage the various forms of demands, protests and unrest in China? What measures is the CCP taking to increase participation, and will they lead to democratization?
Saich, Ch.7
Osnos “China’s Angry Youth”; Xiao Qiang on China’s Internet; Zweig, “To the courts or to the barricades”; Translation of Charter 08; Bergsten, “Democracy with Chinese Characteristics” (Coursepack)
Nov. 4 FIELDTRIP: Visiting a NGO -- Government Mapping Project DUE
WEEK 5 (Nov. 7-10)
Nov. 7 The Chinese State and Society
Questions: How much have state-society relations in China changed after 30 years of reform? Has the state adapted in managing an increasingly complex and assertive
society? Is society gaining more leverage vis-à-vis the state?
Saich, Ch.8
Osnos “The Forbidden Zone”, Bandurski “Pulling the Strings of China’s Internet”; Gilboy and Read “Political and Social Reform”, Guobin Yang “A Civil Society Emerges”; Pei, “How
China is Ruled” (Coursepack)
Nov. 8 Final Paper/Exam
Nov. 10 Third Block Begins
Required readings:
Tony Saich, Governance and Politics of China, 3rd ed. (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) Coursepack (available in the IES office)
Regular reading of: The New York Times at www.nytimes.com; The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com; the English-language version of the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, The People’s Daily (Renmin Ribao) at english.peopledaily.com.cn; or the Chinese government’s English-language newspaper, China Daily at www.chinadaily.com.cn. You should be prepared to give a brief analysis of a news report on current Chinese political or social developments from either the Chinese or English news media at the beginning of each class period.
David Bandurski, “Pulling the Strings of China’s Internet” (Word doc)
Bergsten, “Democracy with Chinese Characteristics” (Chapter 3 in Bergsten, China’s Rise) Cheng Li, “Intraparty Democracy” (PDF doc)
Chapters 1-3 (pp.1-70) from Christiansen and Rai, Chinese Politics and Society
Deng Xiaoping, Answers to the Italian Journalist; Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our
Party (pp.29-49 in The China Reader) (TAKE OUT “Communique of the Third Plenary Session”)
Readings by Fang Lizhi, Deng Xiaoping (pp.175-185 in The China Reader) Garnaut, “Bureaucrats help cement power of Chinese state” (Word doc) George Gilboy and Benjamin Read, “Political and Social Reform” (PDF doc)
Peter Gries, “The Century of Humiliation and Chinese National Identity” (pp.112-128 in China’s
Transformations)
Hong Zhang and Marsha Smith, “Navigating a space for labor activism”; Tim Hildebrandt and Turner, “Green Activism?”, and Joan Kaufman, “The role of NGOs in China’s AIDS crisis”, pp.66-88, 89-
110 and 156-173 in State and Society Responses to Social Welfare Needs in China
Huang Yasheng, China’s Other Path (Word doc)
Albert Keidel, “Assessing China’s Economic Rise” (Word doc)
Koo and Yeh, “The Impact of Township, Village and Private Enterprise” (pp.321-334 in The China
Reader)
Nicholas Kristof, “’Mao’: The Real Mao” (Word doc) McGregor, “The Party Organizer” (Word doc)
Mackerras, “Tibetans, Uyghurs, and multinational ‘China’” in Chinese Politics, pp. 222-242 (COPY FROM BOOK)
McGregor, “The Emperor is Far Away: The Party and the Regions” (chapter 6 in The Party: The Secret
World of China’s Communist Rulers)
Andrew Nathan, “Introduction: The Documents and their Significance”, pp. xv-xlv in The Tiananmen
Square Papers
Andrew Nathan, “Authoritarian Resilience” (PDF doc) Evan Osnos, “China’s Angry Youth” (Word document) Osnos “The Forbidden Zone” (Word doc)
Minxin Pei, “The Dark Side of China’s Rise” (Word doc) Pei, “How China is Ruled” (PDF doc)
Translation of Charter 08 (Word doc)
Wang Shaoguang, “The Problem of State Weakness” (PDF doc)
Wei Jingsheng, “Democracy: The Fifth Modernization” (pp.165-175 in The China Reader) Xiao Qiang, “The Internet” (pp.129-143 in China’s Transformations)
Guobin Yang, “A Civil Society Emerges” (Word doc)
Dali Yang, “State Capacity on the Rebound” (PDF doc)
“1989 Wall Posters”, “Hunger Strike Manifesto”, Yang Jianli’s “The Beijing Massacre” and Ding Zilin’s
“Who were They” (pp.197-212 in The China Reader)
Zhao Ziyang, “Advance Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” (pp.50-77 in The China
Reader)
Prisoner of the State, “Hu Yaobang Resigns”, pp.161-182 and “Preparing for the Main Event”, pp. 203-
213 (COPY FROM BOOK)
Prisoner of the State, Part 3, chapters 1, 10, 7, 9 (COPY FROM BOOK)
David Zweig, “To the courts or to the barricades” in Chinese Society, pp.123-147 (COPY FROM BOOK)
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Shawn (Shih-hung) Shieh was previously an Associate Professor of Political Science at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He has been teaching, traveling, working, and doing research in China since 1984 when he took a leave of absence from his graduate studies in creative writing to teach English at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science at Columbia University where he specialized in Chinese politics. He has taught a wide range of courses on political thought, international politics, Chinese/Asian politics, and U.S.-China Relations, and has led two student groups to China. He has written and published a number of articles and book chapters on central-provincial relations, government-business relations, corruption and civil society in China in leading journals like The China Journal and Journal of Contemporary China. He is the coeditor of State and Society Responses to Social Welfare Needs in China: Serving the People (Routledge, 2009). This book examines the role of government and NGOs in responding to environmental, migrant labor, child welfare, and public health issues in contemporary China. He is currently working on a book on social activism and civil society in China.
Chinese Government And Politics
Yes, you’ve heard it all before. China is a fascinating, complex and important country. But for many of us who study China, it is also one big enigma. It is one of the world’s great civilizations with one of the longest, continuous histories in the world. But it is also a country that experienced Third World status and humiliation at the hands of Western and Japanese imperialists during the 19th and early
20th century. It’s the world’s second largest economy, yet in per capita terms, still a developing country. Since 1949, China has been governed by an ideology and government that is very different from the political system and society that we in the West are used to. Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, China
endured radical political movements like the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, but survived them to emerge as a strong, independent, industrial power. During the last 30 years, largely due to reforms instituted by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, China has embarked on a series of reforms that have
introduced free markets in China, opened the country to foreign trade and investment, and made China the fastest growing economy in the world. These reforms have been carried on successfully by Deng’s successors: Jiang Zemin, and now Hu Jintao.
Yet how much have the reforms really changed Chinese political system over these last 30 years, and what changes in the system can we expect in the near future? Is it still a totalitarian system where the state tries to control all aspects of society and culture? Is it a repressive, rigid authoritarian system that will grow increasingly unstable, resulting in revolution or collapse? Is it a stable, benevolent dictatorship that is becoming increasingly capable and legitimate? Is it an authoritarian system that is undergoing a transformation towards a more liberal, open society and possibly even democracy? In short, what are we to make of this peculiar blend of authoritarianism, socialism and capitalism? What should we call it, and does it have lasting power? These are questions that we will explore, debate, and ultimately try to answer in this class.
None
None
Regular attendance is crucial to your success in this class, and to the success of the class overall. IES has an attendance policy that will be enforced in this class. Each unexcused absence will result in your overall grade being lowered a step (e.g. from a B+ to a B). Proper documentation must be provided for all absences (see IES Handbook for guidelines about documenting absences). Being on time is also appreciated. Students should show up for class at least five minutes before class starts. Lateness will be penalized.
By the end of the course students will be able to:
• Describe the overall geography and history of modern China, and confidently discuss politics and society in the PRC.
• Understand the political system, and continuities and changes in the relationship between the
Chinese state and society, and the factors shaping that relationship.
• Be able to identify and critically analyze important issues concerning contemporary Chinese political history and governance.
• Be able to make informed arguments and justify them both orally and in writing using a range of sources, including source material that takes advantage of your presence in China.
Lecture, Discussion, Guest Speakers, and Field Trips
This course is organized as a seminar where you play an important part in discussing the videos and readings. The lectures and discussions are intended primarily to stimulate discussion and debates over important themes and issues covered in the reading.
Your grade will be based on:
Class Attendance, Participation, and Assignments 20%
Response Papers/Student Presentations 20%
Government Transparency Project 10% Midterm 25%
Final Paper/Interview 25%
TOTAL 100%
Effort and improvement will be taken into account.
Grading. Grades are assigned according to the following point system.
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
F 62 or less
The criteria for grades are spelled out in the Course Catalog. They are summarized briefly as follows:
C work is adequate. It means 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 undistinguished fashion.
B work is good. It means you were able to follow directions, recall more than just the basic elements, apply that knowledge in a way that makes connections with your own beliefs, other knowledge gained in this or other courses and to the world around you, and express your ideas and arguments clearly and concisely.
A work is excellent. It means you were able to follow directions, show a mastery of the subject matter, apply the knowledge in a critical and original manner, and express your ideas and arguments in a clear and persuasive manner.
Class Attendance and Participation (20%). Regular attendance is crucial to your success in this class. (See Attendance Policy below).
Student participation is an important part of your grade. You will be encouraged to be an active, assertive and thoughtful participant in class discussions. Your participation grade will be based on the following:
1. Your participation in discussing current Chinese political or social developments. The first few
minutes of each class will be devoted to a discussion of these current events.
2. The quality of your discussion of the assigned reading material. You will be asked to lead a discussion of the class readings every other class.
3. Courtesy and respect for other students. Allow other students a chance to express themselves.
4. Courtesy and respect for the instructor. You are expected to stay in class for the entire period and not take bathroom or water breaks unless it is an emergency.
5. Contribution to thoughtful discussion. You are expected to ask be attentive and inquisitive, ask
questions and otherwise express yourself in a thoughtful manner.
Response Papers/Student Presentations (20%). During each class session, students will prepare a one- page, single-spaced response paper to the assigned readings. The response paper should discuss a important theme or issue addressed by the readings, and raise questions for discussion. A separate handout on the response papers will be forthcoming.
Government Mapping Project (10%). This project will require each student to go out and record the location of Communist Party, government and/or military offices at various levels of administration. Projects will be graded on the number and diversity of offices recorded, and the quality of the records. A separate handout on this project will be forthcoming.
Midterm and Quizzes (25% pts). There will be a midterm, and announced and unannounced quizzes on geography and the readings.
Final Paper/Interview (25%). For your final assessment, you can choose between a final paper OR an interview. The paper should be around 2,500 words on the topic, “The Nature of Chinese Politics” and is
due the last day of class. The paper should put forth your own interpretation of Chinese politics, drawing on a range of sources for support: class readings, current events, field trips, and conversations and interviews with Chinese during your stay at IES. A separate handout on the paper assignment will be forthcoming. The other option is a 20 minute oral interview with me on the last day of class. In the
interview, I will ask you questions about the material covered in class, and you will respond with coherent, informed answers.
Deadline extensions must also be requested in advance, and will be granted only in exceptional cases. If you do not request an extension in advance and hand your assignment in late, your grade for that assignment will be lowered one step (B+ to a B, B to a B-, etc.) for every day it is late.
All students are expected to adhere to high standards of academic honesty. Cheating or plagiarism is not acceptable under any conditions.
OFFICE HOURS:
T and TH 12:30-1:30
(Disclaimer: There may be a few changes in the readings and schedule during the semester. You’ll be given advance notice about any such changes.)
WEEK 1 (Oct. 13-14)
Oct. 13 Introduction to the course
Topics: What theories and frameworks can we use to understand Chinese politics?
Saich, Ch.1
Christiansen and Rai, Ch.1 (Coursepack)
Oct. 14 Political History, pre-1949
Questions: Why did socialism win out over nationalism and liberalism in 20th century
China? What does it mean to be Chinese in the 20th century?
Christiansen and Rai, Chs. 2 and 3 (Coursepack)
Gries, “The Century of Humiliation and Chinese National Identity” (Coursepack)
FIELDTRIP: Military Museum
WEEK 2 (Oct. 17-21)
Oct. 17 China Under Mao, 1949-1978
Questions: How did Mao shape New China? Was his legacy largely positive or negative?
Saich, Ch.2
Deng Xiaoping, Answers to the Italian Journalist; Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party; Wei Jingsheng “Democracy: The Fifth Modernization”; Kristof, “’Mao’: The Real Mao” (Coursepack)
Oct. 18 China Under Reform
Questions: What were Deng’s reforms and what impact did they have on China’s development?
Saich, Ch.3 (up to section ending in 1991)
Excerpts from Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State (Part 3, chs. 1, 10, 7, 9); Koo and Yeh on township, village and private enterprises; Zhao Ziyang, “Advance Along the Road of
Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” (Coursepack)
Oct. 20 China’s Political System
Questions: What does the Chinese political system look like in the 1980s, and how did it work in practice?
Skim 1982 PRC Constitution (Articles 1-7, 29-32, and Chapter 3) “How China is Ruled”,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/china_politics/government... Zhao Ziyang, Prisoner of the State, “Hu Yaobang Resigns” and “Preparing for the Main Event” (Coursepack)
Oct. 21 The 1989 Protests
Questions: Why did the 1989 protests fail, and what was their significance?
Readings by Fang Lizhi, Deng Xiaoping, 1989 Wall Posters, Hunger Strike Manifesto, Ding
Zilin; Andrew Nathan, Introduction, The Tiananmen Square Papers (Coursepack)
WEEK 3 (Oct.24-28)
Oct. 24 China After Tiananmen and Deng
Questions: How did the 1989 protests change China’s development path? What was
Deng’s legacy? Is China’s development path capitalist or socialist or neither?
Saich, Ch.3 (the section starting with 1992)
Keidel, “Assessing China’s Economic Rise”; Huang, “China’s Other Path”; Nathan, “Authoritarian Resilience”; Pei, “The Dark Side of China’s Rise” (Coursepack)
Oct.25 Governance at the Center
Questions: What does the party-state in Beijing look like, how does it work, and how is it changing? Can it govern effectively?
Saich, Chs. 4-5
McGregor, “The Party Organizer”; Cheng Li , “Intraparty Democracy”; Yang, “State
Capacity on the Rebound”; Wang, “The Problems of State Weakness” (Coursepack)
Hand in 3 samples of your Government Transparency project for review
Oct. 26 FIELDTRIP: Beijing Party School (Alternate Date: Oct. 25)
Oct. 27 MIDTERM
WEEK 4 (Oct.31-Nov.)
Oct. 31 Governance in the Localities
Questions: What does the party-state at the local level look like, how does it work, and what is its relationship with the center? Can it work with the center to govern effectively? How effective is local governance in the ethnic minority regions?
Saich, Ch.6
McGregor, “The Emperor is Far Away: The Party and the Regions”; Garnaut, “Bureaucrats help cement power of Chinese state”; Mackerras, “Tibetans, Uyghurs and multinational
‘China’” (Coursepack)
Nov. 1 The Social and Environmental Consequences of Reform
Questions: What kinds of social and environmental problems have emerged as a result of the reform process. What are the state and social organizations (e.g. NGOs) doing to
address those problems? What kind of problems do NGOs face in China?
Saich, ch.10
Readings by Hildebrandt and Turner, “Green Activism?”; Zhang Hong, “Navigating a Space for Labor Activism”; Kaufman, “The Role of NGOs in China’s AIDS crisis” (Coursepack)
Nov. 3 Political Participation and Protest
Questions: What channels exist for political participation in China? Are they sufficient to manage the various forms of demands, protests and unrest in China? What measures is the CCP taking to increase participation, and will they lead to democratization?
Saich, Ch.7
Osnos “China’s Angry Youth”; Xiao Qiang on China’s Internet; Zweig, “To the courts or to the barricades”; Translation of Charter 08; Bergsten, “Democracy with Chinese Characteristics” (Coursepack)
Nov. 4 FIELDTRIP: Visiting a NGO -- Government Mapping Project DUE
WEEK 5 (Nov. 7-10)
Nov. 7 The Chinese State and Society
Questions: How much have state-society relations in China changed after 30 years of reform? Has the state adapted in managing an increasingly complex and assertive
society? Is society gaining more leverage vis-à-vis the state?
Saich, Ch.8
Osnos “The Forbidden Zone”, Bandurski “Pulling the Strings of China’s Internet”; Gilboy and Read “Political and Social Reform”, Guobin Yang “A Civil Society Emerges”; Pei, “How
China is Ruled” (Coursepack)
Nov. 8 Final Paper/Exam
Nov. 10 Third Block Begins
Tony Saich, Governance and Politics of China, 3rd ed. (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) Coursepack (available in the IES office)
Regular reading of: The New York Times at www.nytimes.com; The Washington Post at www.washingtonpost.com; the English-language version of the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, The People’s Daily (Renmin Ribao) at english.peopledaily.com.cn; or the Chinese government’s English-language newspaper, China Daily at www.chinadaily.com.cn. You should be prepared to give a brief analysis of a news report on current Chinese political or social developments from either the Chinese or English news media at the beginning of each class period.
David Bandurski, “Pulling the Strings of China’s Internet” (Word doc)
Bergsten, “Democracy with Chinese Characteristics” (Chapter 3 in Bergsten, China’s Rise) Cheng Li, “Intraparty Democracy” (PDF doc)
Chapters 1-3 (pp.1-70) from Christiansen and Rai, Chinese Politics and Society
Deng Xiaoping, Answers to the Italian Journalist; Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our
Party (pp.29-49 in The China Reader) (TAKE OUT “Communique of the Third Plenary Session”)
Readings by Fang Lizhi, Deng Xiaoping (pp.175-185 in The China Reader) Garnaut, “Bureaucrats help cement power of Chinese state” (Word doc) George Gilboy and Benjamin Read, “Political and Social Reform” (PDF doc)
Peter Gries, “The Century of Humiliation and Chinese National Identity” (pp.112-128 in China’s
Transformations)
Hong Zhang and Marsha Smith, “Navigating a space for labor activism”; Tim Hildebrandt and Turner, “Green Activism?”, and Joan Kaufman, “The role of NGOs in China’s AIDS crisis”, pp.66-88, 89-
110 and 156-173 in State and Society Responses to Social Welfare Needs in China
Huang Yasheng, China’s Other Path (Word doc)
Albert Keidel, “Assessing China’s Economic Rise” (Word doc)
Koo and Yeh, “The Impact of Township, Village and Private Enterprise” (pp.321-334 in The China
Reader)
Nicholas Kristof, “’Mao’: The Real Mao” (Word doc) McGregor, “The Party Organizer” (Word doc)
Mackerras, “Tibetans, Uyghurs, and multinational ‘China’” in Chinese Politics, pp. 222-242 (COPY FROM BOOK)
McGregor, “The Emperor is Far Away: The Party and the Regions” (chapter 6 in The Party: The Secret
World of China’s Communist Rulers)
Andrew Nathan, “Introduction: The Documents and their Significance”, pp. xv-xlv in The Tiananmen
Square Papers
Andrew Nathan, “Authoritarian Resilience” (PDF doc) Evan Osnos, “China’s Angry Youth” (Word document) Osnos “The Forbidden Zone” (Word doc)
Minxin Pei, “The Dark Side of China’s Rise” (Word doc) Pei, “How China is Ruled” (PDF doc)
Translation of Charter 08 (Word doc)
Wang Shaoguang, “The Problem of State Weakness” (PDF doc)
Wei Jingsheng, “Democracy: The Fifth Modernization” (pp.165-175 in The China Reader) Xiao Qiang, “The Internet” (pp.129-143 in China’s Transformations)
Guobin Yang, “A Civil Society Emerges” (Word doc)
Dali Yang, “State Capacity on the Rebound” (PDF doc)
“1989 Wall Posters”, “Hunger Strike Manifesto”, Yang Jianli’s “The Beijing Massacre” and Ding Zilin’s
“Who were They” (pp.197-212 in The China Reader)
Zhao Ziyang, “Advance Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” (pp.50-77 in The China
Reader)
Prisoner of the State, “Hu Yaobang Resigns”, pp.161-182 and “Preparing for the Main Event”, pp. 203-
213 (COPY FROM BOOK)
Prisoner of the State, Part 3, chapters 1, 10, 7, 9 (COPY FROM BOOK)
David Zweig, “To the courts or to the barricades” in Chinese Society, pp.123-147 (COPY FROM BOOK)
Shawn (Shih-hung) Shieh was previously an Associate Professor of Political Science at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He has been teaching, traveling, working, and doing research in China since 1984 when he took a leave of absence from his graduate studies in creative writing to teach English at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science at Columbia University where he specialized in Chinese politics. He has taught a wide range of courses on political thought, international politics, Chinese/Asian politics, and U.S.-China Relations, and has led two student groups to China. He has written and published a number of articles and book chapters on central-provincial relations, government-business relations, corruption and civil society in China in leading journals like The China Journal and Journal of Contemporary China. He is the coeditor of State and Society Responses to Social Welfare Needs in China: Serving the People (Routledge, 2009). This book examines the role of government and NGOs in responding to environmental, migrant labor, child welfare, and public health issues in contemporary China. He is currently working on a book on social activism and civil society in China.