State, Religion and the Public Good in Modern China

In late imperial China, religion formed an intrinsic part of public life, from the cosmological ritual of the state to the constitution of family and communities of various kinds. This arrangement was challenged in the twentieth century by the fall of the dynastic system and the introduction of new definitions of religion, modernity, sovereignty, and secularism. We will explore the ramifications of this change in greater China and its border areas during the past hundred years, looking at how people have sought to create a good public and the public good. Enrollment limited to 20.