The Concept of China

(4 Credits)

What do people think they are talking about when they refer to “China”? Does the term refer to a geographical, cultural, political, hybrid, or other type of entity? How and why has that changed both within China and outside China? This course is about reality and representation; it will address both the shifting geographical, political, cultural and human reality of “China” and what “China” meant to both inhabitants and outsiders in different periods and in different contexts. The goals of the course are 1) to deepen understanding of the history of China and the role of the past in the present 2) to introduce different ways of thinking about China in the world and the world in China, 3) to learn to distinguish between opinion, hypothesis and fact in historical inquiry; 4) to reinstate a concept of China as dynamic, varied, and interactive. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Core Curriculum Humanistic Perspectives on China or Interdisciplinary Perspectives on China; GCS Major Requirement; Humanities Major Other Introductory Courses (18-19 Critical Concepts Core Course/Survey Courses).