Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
16889:IR18‐GE305 Contemporary China (R) § 16890:RUIR-3622 Contemporary China(R) § 16891:IR-FS305 Contemporary China (R) 2024 Fall Tue2 College　Of　International　Relations JI CHENJIA 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

KOSHINKAN　KS201

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

This course is a brief introduction to the contemporary Chinese social thought and culture. Since the reform and opening-up starting from late 1970s, China has grown into the world's leading economics and a major actor in global and regional affairs. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the thoughts and mentalities of Chinese people during this period of time. The social transformation of Chinese society cannot be comprehended without understanding the perception and thought of those who brought out these changes. Based on this understanding, the course will review the major social and political thought and cultural movements in contemporary China that have major significance on the social transformation, as well as people's everyday life.

Student Attainment Objectives

By learning this course, students are supposed to
(1) Be familiar with the major social and political thought trends and cultural events in China since 1980s until nowadays,
(2) Understand how these thoughts formed and evolved through the interaction with the structural transformation during the period,
(3) While investigating some of the social and cultural phenomenon during the period, be able to interpret the actors’ attitude base on the knowledge learned in the course.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction

Brief introduction to the history of ideas and mentalities, the significants of them in regional studies and Chinese studies. Guidance to the contents and requirements of the course

2

Liberalism

Brief introduction to the Chinese liberalism revived during 1980s and its influence until nowadays

3

Old-left in a New Era

Brief introduction to the Chinese Marx-Leninism after the reform and opening-up policy. Its' persistence and change

4

Cultural Event: Qigong Fever

Introduction of studies on qigong fever, a major social and cultural phenomenon in China during 1980s

5

Neo-Confucianism

Brief introduction to the development of neo-Confucianism in Sinophone world, especially its rise in mainland China since late 1980s

6

New Left

Brief introduction to the arise and spread of the Chinese new left since mid-1990s, their influence till nowadays

7

New Classicalism

Brief introduction to the reception of new classicalism in China since 2000s and its influence, especially on higher education and intellectual scene

8

Cultural Event: Hanfu Movement and Nationalism

Introduction of the studies on Hanfu Movement starting from the 2000s till nowadays, its connection with the grass-root nationalism

9

Industrial Party and Little Pink

Introduction on some of the major thought trends in netizen communities since the late 2000s

10

Feminism

Basic information about the rise and spread of feminism in contemporary China, its impact and predicament

11

Cultural Events: Involution (Nei Juan) and Lying Flat (Tang Ping)

Discuss the recent trend of "laying flatism" in youth culture and its implication against the highly competitive society

12

Group Research Presentation (1)

Group presentation, Q&A, and Discussion

13

Group Research Presentation (2)

Group presentation, Q&A, and Discussion

14

Group Research Presentation (3)

Group presentation, Q&A, and Discussion

15

Wrap-up

Wrap-up and advice on the research paper

Class Format

The class will be conducted face-to-face.

Recommendations for Private Study

Students will be provided the reading material for the class next week. Please finish reading the material before you attend the class.
Students are to give a group presentation and write a final research paper on a topic related to China. Any topic regarding the contemporary Chinese culture or society will be fine. In order to prepare for these tasks, the students may start collecting some information about China from related books or news from now on.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

Contribution to class discussion 40%
- 20% for participation; 20% for active involvement in class discussion.

Research presentation 30%
- Students will present in a group work and be graded separately. You may put your name on the PPT slides which you are in charge of, so that the instructor can know the division of work in your group clearly.

Final Paper 30%
- The paper will be around 1500 words long.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

There will be no textbook appointed. All reading materials (papers, essays, etc.) will be provided before the class take place.

Reference Books

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Political Thought and China's Transformation: Ideas Shaping Reform in Post-Mao China He Li Palgrave Macmillan 1349491233
Contemporary Chinese Political Thought: Debates and Perspectives Fred Dallmayr; Zhao Tingyang University Press of Kentucky 938190460X

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Some of the reading materials will be the chapters from these reference books.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students

Other Comments

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URL:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html