Home >> News & Announcement >> News >> Content
News
General Course Introduction-《Selected Issues on China》(2017-2018 Autumn Semester )
Publish: 2017-09-11 Hits:
 

Lecture Time:

Every Wednesday 14:30-16:10 p.m. Siming Campus

Thursday of even weeks 14:30-18:20 p.m. Xiang’an Campus


Venue:

Rm.201 Haiyun Bldg. Siming Campus

Rm.B408,NO.1 Bldg. Xiang’an Campus


Total Hours36

Credits: 2



Workload:

Attendance of lectures is mandatory. Students are encouraged to contribute to the in-class discussions on all topics. A quiz may be given in relation to the topic previously covered. Each student should try to develop his or her interest in a particular area and be prepared to write a short paper with minimum 2000 words about his or her understanding of the current situation and development in the area in China.


Grading:

Students' final grades will be based on (1) objective scores they accumulate during the course and (2) the instructors' evaluation of the students' performance, participation, progress and efforts. The objective scores will be calculated on the basis of the following components:

Participation 20%

Final paper 80%


The last two weeks of the semester will be arranged for term paper writing. Students of the class are expected to submit term papers(no less than 2000 words) before the due date.



Module : An Introduction (Lectures 1-4) 


Siming Campus Week 1/2/4/5

Xiang’an CampusWeek2/4


Instructor: Liao Shaolian

E-mail: slliao@xmu.edu.cn


Description: This part of the lecture series will first provide a brief introduction to ancient history of China with focus on features of social formation in different historical periods, and then cover topics on administrative system, population and ethnic minorities. The lecture on diplomacy will discuss about the new security concept and its impacts on foreign relations.


Reading materials: (available in Xiamen University Library):

1.Cai, Fang, ed. Chinese Research Perspectives on Population and Labor, Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2014.

2.Chen, Jian. Diplomacy Leads to World Harmony. Current Affairs Press, 2013.

3.Chow, Gregory. China's Economic and Social Problems. New Jersey: World Scientific, 2014.

4.Keay, John. China: A History. New York: Harperm Press, 2009.

5.Qu, Xing, China's New Diplomacy and the Changing World, World Affairs Press, 2014.

6.Wright, David Curtis. The History of ChinaGreenwood Press, 2001.

7.Yang, Fuling, Knowing China by Learning Chinese Culture, Tianjin University Press, 2014.

8.Zhao Jinjun, eds. China and the International Society: Adaption and Self- consciousness, World Century, 2014.

9.Zhao Qizheng, How China Communicates: Public Diplomacy in a Global Age, Beijing Foreign Languages Press, 2012.


Module : Economic development in China (Lectures5-6)


Siming Campus Week6-7

Xiang’an CampusWeek6


Instructor: Meng,Lei

E-mail: lmeng05@gmail.com


Description: This part of the lecture series will first give a general overview of the contemporary Chinese economic development, including a brief introduction to the traditional Chinese economy, the planned economy and the market transition. Then the lecture will focus on recent development issues related to urbanization in China.  

Reading materials:

1.Barry Naughton. 2007. The Chinese Economy: Transitions and Growth. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

2. Lin, Justin Yifu, Fang Cai, and Zhou Li. 2003. The China Miracle:

Development Strategy and Economic Reform. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.

3. Chow, Gregory C. 2007. China’s Economic Transformation. 2nd Edition. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.



Module: Chinese Culture (Lectures7-8)  


Siming Campus Week8-9

Xiang’an CampusWeek8


Instructor: Xia Guang-wu

E-mail: xiagw@xmu.edu.cn


Description: This part of the lecture series introduces Chinese Culture in brief. In order to help students quickly get to know the cultural root of Chinese people, the two-week lecture focuses on dominating variations of Chinese literature and their influence. Instructor will introduce the most important and representative holidays, which have strong impact on Chinese people. Students are encouraged to participate on-class discussion toward these instances as well.


Topics to be covered:

1. Chinese Spring Festival and so onbackground and core thoughts

2. Chinese Valentine’s Day: Romanticism in Chinese culture

3. Dragon-boat Festival: Chinese Patriotism

4. Mid-Autumn Festival: Family reunion and other extension stories


Reading materials:

1.Gao Li ed, Talking about China in English, Beijing: China Water Power Press. 2011.

2.Yao Dan. Chinese Literature. Beijing: China Intercontinental Press, 2006.

3.Victoria Cass. In the Realm of the Gods: Lands, Myths, and Legends of China. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2007.

4.Valerie Hansen. The Open Empire: A History of China to 1600. N. Y.: W. W. Norton, 2000.


Module: Chinese Philosophy (Lectures9-10)


Siming Campus Week 10-11

Xiang’an CampusWeek10


Instructor: Liu, Xiaofei

E-mail: liuxf@xmu.edu.cn


Description: This part of the course is a brief introduction to Chinese Philosophy. It will focus on perhaps the most influential and definitely the most well-known Chinese philosopher, Kongzi (also known as Confucius), and his ideas. We will discuss Kongzi’s political ideal and its relation to his notion of morality, in particular, Ren (goodness) and three key virtues – Zhong (dutifulness), Xiao (filial piety), and Yi (rightness). By understanding Kongzi’s ideas of morality and political ideal, especially in contrast with their western counterparts, we will peek into what’s at the core of the Chinese culture.


Reading materials:

1.Confucius Analects: with selections from traditional commentaries, translated by Edward Slingerland, Hackett Publishing Company, 2003.

2.Readings in Classic Chinese Philosophy, edited by Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, Seven Bridges Press, 2001.

3.The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven (DVD), available for free on Youtube.

4.Outlaws of the Marsh, by Shi Nai'An, translated by Sidney Shapiro, Foreign Languages Press, 2001.


Module: Chinese Society and Culture (Lectures 11-12)


Siming Campus Week 12-13

Xiang’an CampusWeek12


Instructor: Lyu,Yunfang

E-mail: lyf@xmu.edu.cn


Description: This part of the lecture series will give a general overview of the transformation process in Chinese society and culture in modern times, at personal, familial and social levels. It is to cover the topics on personal relations, career and education, love and marriage, family structure and power shift, aging society, ethnic issues, religions, gender issues, stratification and social mobility.


Reading materials:

1.Yan Yunxiang, The Individualization of Chinese Society, Berg Publishers, 2009

2.Prasenjit Duara, The Global and Regional in China's Nation-Formation. London ; New York: Routledge, 2009

3.Mayfair Mei-hui Yang, Chinese Religiosities: Afflictions of Modernity and State Formation, UC Berkeley, 2008

 

Top