Main Program - Fall

Changing China - Fall 2008

Main Program Syllabus

Wk 1 (9/29-10/3) - Introduction to the Program and to Chinese Culture:

Readings:

Introduction and Chapter 1, "Making Conversation" and "The Shattered Mirror", pp. xi-xxi, pp. 1-11. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006), Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co. Access the chapters through Electronic Reserve.

Scenes 2, 3, and 7. From: Tang Xianzu (1999), The Peony Pavilion, translated by Cyril Birch. Cheng & Tsui Co.

King, Ambrose Yeo-Chi (1991). "Kuan-shi and Network Building: A Sociological Interpretation". Daedalus, Vol. 120, Number 2 (Spring), pp. 63-84. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday before seminar via webpage. Turn in a hard copy at seminar to the seminar faculty for just this week.

Handouts: Guidelines for Research Proposal #1 posted on Monday

Wk 2 (10/6-10/10) - Ideology and Religion: Building a Chinese Nation

Readings:

"Introduction", "Tao Te Ching: Translation", "Notes" and "Commentary on Verse One", pp. 1-11, 14-94, 256-270 and 271-294. In: Lao Tzu (Laozi, 2003). Tao Te Ching (Daode Jing), translation and commentary by Jonathan Star. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam.

Chapters 2 and 3, "The Escape from Positivism" and "Facts on the Ground", pp. 13-44. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co.

Also, choose any two verses from:

"Verbatim Translation", pp. 100-250. In: Lao Tzu (Laozi, 2003). Tao Te Ching (Daode Jing), translation and commentary by Jonathan Star. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage; Research Proposal #1 due Thursday via webpage

Handouts: Questions for first Integrative Essay posted on Monday

Wk 3 (10/13-10/17) - Mythology: Building a Chinese Person

Readings:

Wu, Cheng-en (1994), Monkey: Folk Novel of China, translated by Arthur Waley. Grove Press. ISBN: 9780802130860. This book, except for a few used copies, is currently between publications hence not available in the bookstore. However, because this version is widely popular and can be easily acquired from several online agencies and bookstores such as amazon.com and powells.com, we require students to get their own copies themselves.

Chapters 4 and 5, "Moral Disagreement" and "The Primacy of Practice", pp. 45-85. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage

Handout: Guidelines for Research Proposal #2 posted on Monday

Tuesday 1-4 Taiji workshop in CRC 116/117

Wk 4 (10/20-10/24) - Earth-bound China

Readings:

Buck, Pearl (2005). The Good Earth. Pocket Books.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage; First Integrative Essay due Thursday via webpage

Tuesday 1-4 pm: library research workshop (in GC1 inside computer center, or Grotto): participants: Wen's seminar and half of Rose's seminar (Tanner, Zach, Alicia, Lina, Ruth, Piers, Amy, Patricia)

David's seminar and the other half of Rose's seminar will be in Sem2 D1107 as usual.

Thursday 1-4 pm: library research workshop (in Mac Lounge, inside computer center): Paricipants: David's seminar and the 2nd half of Rose's seminar (Tom, Blake, Scott, Kat, Jakey, Daniel, Andrew, Patrick, Ayumi, Cole)

Wen's seminar and the first half of Rose's seminar will be in Sem2 D1107 as usual.

Wk 5 (10/27-10/31) - Mid-Quarter Synthesis and Integration (of the Story So Far)

Readings:

Fei, Xiaotong (1992). From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese Society. University of California Press.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage; Research Proposal #2 due Thursday via webpage

Handouts: Questions for Second Integrative Essay posted on Monday

Wk 6 (11/3-11/7) - China at the Margins: Trade, Migration and Cultural Exchanges

Readings:

Chapters 6 and 7, "Imaginary Strangers" and "Cosmopolitan Contamination", pp. 87-113. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co.

Chapters 1, 3 and 8, "The Enigma of Zheng He", "China and the Asian Maritime World in the Time of Zheng He", and "The Legacy of Zheng He"; pp. 1-9, 27-47 and 165-186. In: Dreyer, Edward L. (2007), Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405-1433. Pearson Education, Inc. Access the chapters through Electronic Reserve.

"Preface", "Map", "Introduction", and "The Merchant's Tale", pp. ix-x, xii-xiii, 1-26, and 27-54. In: Whitfield, Susan (2001). Life Along the Silk Road. University of California Press. Access the chapters through Electronic Reserve.

Choose one of the following two additional readings:

"Prologue" and Chapters 1-5, 10-11, pp. 19-106 and 167-193. In: Levanthes, Louise (1997). When China Ruled the Seas. Oxford University Press.

Any three additional chapters and "Epilogue", pp. 223-225. In: Whitfield, Susan (2001). Life Along the Silk Road. University of California Press. (I recommend any chapters except "The Soldier's Tale" and "The Horseman's Tale" as they do not much touch on China or Chinese culture).

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage

Handouts: Guidelines for Research Project Oral Presentation and Written work posted on Monday

Wk 7 (11/10-11/14) - Classical China: Literature, Drama and Arts

Readings:

Scenes 10, 12-14, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 32, and 35. From: Tang Xianzu (1999), The Peony Pavilion, translated by Cyril Birch. Cheng & Tsui.

Chapter 8, "Whose Culture Is It, Anyway?", pp. 115-135. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006), Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co.

Chapter 1, "What is Culture?", pp. 1-62. In Peterson, Brooks (2004), Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures, Intercultural Press. Access the chapter through Electronic Reserve.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage

Wk 8 (11/17-11/21) - Humans and Nature: Chinese Geographical and Environmental Issues

Readings:

McNeill, J. R. (1998). "China's Environmental History in World Perspective", pp.31-49. In: Elvin, Mark and Liu, Ts'ui-jung (Eds.), Sediments of Time: Environment and Society in Chinese History, Cambridge University Press. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Elvin, Mark. (1993). "Three Thousand Years of Unsustainable Growth: China's Environment from Archaic Times to the Present". East Asia History, Vol. 6, pp. 7-46. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Elvin, Mark. (2004). "Landmarks and Time-Marks", pp. 3-8. In: The Retreat of the Elephants: An Environmental History of China, Yale University Press. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Hou, Wenhui. (1997). "Reflections on Chinese Traditional Ideas of Nature". Environmental History. Vol. 2(4), pp. 482-492. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Edmonds, R. L. (1999). "The Environment in the People’s Republic of China 50 Years On". The China Quarterly, Vol. 159, pp. 640-649. Access the article through Electronic Reserve.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage; Second Integrative Essay due Thursday via webpage

Thanksgiving Break

Wk 9 (12/1-12/5) - - China's Interaction with the World: Paths Taken (or Not)

Readings:

Chapters 9 and 10, "The Counter-Cosmopolitans" and "Kindness to Strangers", pp. 137-176. In: Appiah, Kwame Anthony (2006), Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton & Co.

Excerpt of Chapter 1, "Yali's Question", pp. 11-17; Chapter 16, "How China Became Chinese", pp.322-333; Excerpt of Epilogue, "The Future of Human History as a Science", pp. 403-420; and Afterword, pp.450-464. In: Diamond, Jared (1999). Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W.W. Norton & Co. Access the chapters through Electronic Reserve.

Chapter 21, "Celestial Empire: Stasis and Retreat", and Endnotes, pp. 335-349, and 560-561. In: Landes, David S. (1999). The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some Are So Poor. W.W. Norton & Co. Access the chapters through Electronic Reserve.

Assignments: Seminar Prep Paper due Wednesday via webpage

Wk 10 (12/8-12/12) - Research Project Presentation

Oral Presentations all week

Assignments: Project Outline/Bibliography/Copy of Presentation due Thursday via webpage