History220-310syllabusspring2004

History 220/310: Cultural China

Spring 2004

Sewall Hall 307

Dr. Steven W. Lewis

Office: Baker Hall, Room 224

Phone: 713-348-5832; e-mail address: swlewis@rice.edu

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30-2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., and by appointment

Dr. Richard J. Smith

Office: Humanities Building, Room 322
Phone: 713-348-4947 or ext. 2552; fax: 713-348-5207; e-mail address: smithrj@rice.edu

Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00-10:00 a.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m., and by appointment

Course description: This course is designed to encourage creative ways of investigating and thinking critically about what has been called "Cultural China"--a relatively new concept that includes the People's Republic, the newly established Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Hong Kong, the Republic of China on Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities on every continent. What issues and identifications unite those who consider themselves to be "Chinese," and what issues and identifications divide them? Among the specific problems to be explored from various perspectives (including the familiar categories of "race," class and gender) are those related to modernity, nationalism, democracy, cosmopolitanism, capitalism, identity, and, of course, culture. Framing our discussion will be the phenomenon of "globalization"--that is, the worldwide circulation of ideas, commodities, capital, people and practices.

The course will focus primarily on images and representations; we will employ a number of different media--including not only printed texts but also films, videotapes, slides, and materials on the world-wide web. Our syllabus is highly selective and we can make no claim to comprehensiveness. We certainly hope, however, that the course will open up many avenues of exploration and close off none. In short, we hope to encourage wide-ranging and open-ended class discussions which reflect the ongoing debates and discourses about China that are taking place in all parts of the world. The course is intended to provide the conceptual tools for understanding these debates and discourses.

Class attendance and participation will be mandatory, and students who do not have an e-mail account will be severely disadvantaged in terms of access to certain important internet materials. Those taking this course pass/fail must pass all assignments.

Statement Regarding Disability: If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact the instructors to discuss your needs. Additionally, you will need to register with the Disability Support Services Office in the Ley Student Center (phone: 713-348-5841; e-mail: adarice@rice.edu; webpage at [http://dss.rice.edu/]).

Requirements:

Taken at the 200-level, this course involves (A) two short papers on assigned topics, 750-1,000 words (3-4 pages) in length; (B) participation in a group research project and class presentation; (C) a "journal" entry (of whatever length you choose) describing your own contributions to your group presentation; (D) a 750-1,000 word (3-4 pages) critique of your group's presentation, and the presentations of the other groups; (E) a 4,000 word (approx. 15 pages) final paper. Details to follow.

At the 300-level, the course involves an additional 2,500-word (10-page) paper due at the beginning of class on March 18. This paper will be a first draft and preliminary exploration of the final paper, which for students taking the course at the 300 level will be a total of 6,250 words (25 pages) in length. All final paper topics must be approved by the instructors. A one-paragraph prospectus of the theoretical and empirical issues to be addressed in the final paper will be due at the beginning of class on February 26. Details to follow,

Due dates of papers and approximate percentage of course grade are as follows (exceptional classroom participation will be rewarded).

· The two short papers are due at the beginning of class on January 29 and February 24 (each c. 10 percent of the course grade)

· The presentation of the group research project to the class will take place during the week of April 6 (c. 20 percent)

· The "journal" entry will be due at the beginning of class on April 6 (c. 10 percent)

· The critique of your group's presentation and the presentations of the other group, due at the beginning of class on April 13 (c. 10 percent)

· The final paper, due by noon of the last day of the appropriate examination period (c. 40%), in the mailbox of one or the other instructors.

All written material must be properly cited, typewritten, double-spaced, and paginated, with no folders or fancy fonts. Additionally, an uncorrupted electronic file of each assignment must be sent via e-mail to both instructors by the end of the day that the assignment is due. For their own security, each student should keep hard and soft copies of each assignment. At both levels, late papers will be penalized one-third of a grade (e.g. l- to 2+) per day out of fairness to the rest of the class. The only valid excuse for a late submission or an extension will be a medical one.

Required texts:

· Dutton, Michael (1999) Streetlife China, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press (ASIN: 0521631416).

· Lardy, Nicholas (2002) Integrating China into the Global Economy, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press (ISBN: 0815751354).

· Lu, Hsun, (2003) Selected Stories (reissue edition 2003), New York: W.W. Norton (ISBN: 0393008487).

Note: Additional readings will be distributed by e-mail, placed ON RESERVE (Fondren Library), or accessed directly from the world-wide web.

COURSE OUTLINE

January 13, Introduction

January 15, History as "Value”

Required readings:

· Smith, R.J., "The Past in China's Present" [http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~anth220/thepast.html]

· Smith, R.J., "The Lay of the Land" on ASW, [http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~asia/Outreach/The_Lay_of_the_Land.html]