Political Science 442/542  POLITICS OF CHINA II   Spring 2003

 This advanced course on modern China’s politics will survey recent writing on several topics, including elite politics, cultural conflict, and the social and political impact of China’s integration into a larger world economy.

Prerequisite: Students must have at least one previous course on modern Chinese politics or history.

Instructor:  Richard Kraus. Office: 821 PLC. Office hours: 2-5 each Thursday, and by appointment. Phone:  346-4894. E-mail: rkraus@oregon.uoregon.edu. Website: darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rkraus

Class meetings:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11:20, in  905 PLC.

  Texts:

Gilley and Nathan. China’s New Rulers: the Secret Files. 

Judith Shapiro. Mao’s War against Nature. 

Link, Madsen, & Pickowicz. Popular China.

Chalmers Johnson. Blowback.

Donald Lopez. Prisoners of Shangri-la.

Dai Sijie. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. 

Ian Buruma. Bad Elements: Chinese Rebels from Los Angeles to Beijing.

Anchee Min. Becoming Madam Mao. 

Note:  All texts are available at Mother Kali's Books,720 East 13th.

Course Requirements: We will meet twice a week as a seminar.  All students will be responsible for the common readings listed above. Students will also be responsible for watching two films. Each student will write three critiques of books under discussion during weeks 2-5 and 7-10.  These critiques should be 500-600 words long, and must be distributed to seminar members by e-mail no later than 4 pm on the Monday of the week in which the book is to be discussed.

One half of the course grade will be based upon these written critiques and on contributions to class discussion. The other half of the grade will be based upon a take-home final examination.

Basis for Grading:  Command of course materials, originality of thought, style of presentation (including both care of preparation for papers and exams).

Schedule:

Week 1 [April 1, 3].  Movie: Not One Less.

Week 2 [April 8, 10]. Link, Madsen, & Pickowicz. Popular China.

Week 3 [April 15, 17]. Anchee Min, Becoming Madame Mao.

Week 4 [April 22, 23]. Chalmers Johnson, Blowback.

Week 5 [April 29, May 1]. Judith Shapiro. Mao’s War against Nature. 

Week 6 [May 6, 8].  Movie: Crazy English

Week 7 [May 13, 15].   Gilley and Nathan. China’s New Rulers: the Secret Files. 

Week 8  [May 20, 22].  Ian Buruma. Bad Elements: Chinese Rebels from Los Angeles to Beijing.

Week 9 [May 27, 29].  Dai Sijie. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. 

 Week 10 [June 3, 5]. Donald Lopez. Prisoners of Shangri-la.

How to write a simple critique:

The purpose of these short essays is two-fold. First, they will help structure class discussion, and second, they will demonstrate your own mastery of the course material  

What issues should you address?  These will vary according to the book, but they might well include your thoughts on:

• The author’s point of view. Does she have a message? Is it clear?
• Is the argument supported by the evidence presented?
• The kinds of sources used in the book. Do they seem reliable?
• For whom is the book written? Do you think it effective in reaching that audience?
• What do you think is lacking in the author’s argument?
• How does this book compare with others?

  There is no predetermined format, although in a 600-word essay you do not have a lot of room for literary experimentation.

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