This course surveys the development of Chinese culture and society from early European contact to contemporary political and economic developments. It examines traditional Chinese culture, the impact of European contact and technological change, and internal and external conflicts, institutional transformations, and policy shifts through the post-Mao era.
Prerequisites
Reading proficiency as established by District Policy
1. Apply interdisciplinary social science theories to analyze historical events and figures.
2. Analyze patterns in Chinese traditions and governance from prehistory through the 1630s.
3. Compare seventeenth-century China and Europe, with an emphasis on technology, military power, trade, navigation, and missionary activity.
4. Assess European contact from the Chinese perspective by analyzing its impact on the central government and the responses of the Chinese literati and Imperial Court to Western influences.
5. Evaluate seventeenth-century interactions between Europeans and China from the European perspective, including the British balance of trade with India and China, Christian missionary activities, and competition among European powers in Asia.
6. Summarize the development and impact of the Treaty Port system on Chinese society and economy.
7. Identify the drivers of change and modernization in China, analyze their interactions, and evaluate the central government's responses.
8. Identify key events in China during World War II, assess their impact on internal conflict, and evaluate the role of international actors in this period.
9. Assess China’s international actions and role throughout the twentieth century.