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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "PL 350"
COURSE NAME: "Politics of China"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2021
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Enrico Fardella
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
W 1:30-4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course reviews the evolution of China's national policies, focusing on its 1949 foundation, the Cultural Revolution, the post-Mao economic reforms, the events of 1989 at Tiananmen and their impact on different aspects of Chinese cultural and social life. It examines such contemporary issues as human, civil and political rights, environmental politics, the problems of minorities, and covers China's foreign policy and international relations.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course reviews the evolution of China's national policies, focusing on the narrative of National Humiliation, Mao’s central role in Party’s history and ideology & Chinese leadership policies from Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping. It examines Chinese Communist Party ideology and structure, China’s key notion of national security and its foreign relations with a special emphasis on the evolution of Sino-American relations and the Belt and Road Initiative. The course will end with a class debate on China’s notions of world order.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course will critically delve intro the following ten questions:
- What is the ‘Century of Humiliation’ and which role does it play in today’s China’s politics?
- The Maoist era and Maoism: which are the core elements of Mao’s ideology and how did they shape the history of the PRC?
- How did Mao’s foreign policy influence the evolution of global politics? And how much does it influence China’s foreign policy today?
- How did Deng’s reform and opening change China’s domestic politics and external relations?
- How did Sino-American relations evolve since the Cold War?
- How does the Chinese Communist Party think and how does it actually work?
- Why are Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan so important for China?
- What is the Belt and Road Initiative and which kind of impact has it on the Euro-Mediterranean Region?
- Fifty years of Sino-Italian diplomatic relations: how relevant is Italy in China’s global strategy?
- Is there a Chinese notion of world order?
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course will allow the students to critically analyse the political dimension of China’s national struggle, identify its resilience and evolution across the history of the PRC and creatively project its potential developments and impact in the world of tomorrow. The individual and group research will allow them to acquire a solid knowledge of China-related research networks, sources and tools and the in class debates will let them using the newly acquired skills to project their analysis into the future by predicting some potential scenarios of China's interaction with the world in the next decades.
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| Politics in China: An introduction | William Joseph | Oxford University Press | 978–0–19–087071–3 | | | | | |
| China and the World since 1945: an International History | Mark Chi-Kwan | Routledge, | 978-0415606516 | | | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Presentation | Individual presentation (15 or 30 mins): a ppt analysis individually designed by each student on a given topic (see calendar below) accompanied by a 500 words summary sheet (to be shared with the class one day before the presentation). The classmates will then give a score to the presentation and privately share it with the teacher. The final evaluation will be composed by the average of classmates and instructor scores.
| 20 |
| Debates | A structured debate examining a controversial proposition with a group of students asked to speak in support of the proposition and another one asked to speak against the proposition. Another student will play the role of arbiter & judge, asking questions of both sides after the debate and evaluating whose argument seemed to prevail and why. Each side has 10 minutes to present their case with a ppt presentation and a 5-minute oral rebuttal of the other point of view. There will be 20 minutes for Q&A once both sides have presented their case. The judge/arbiter will then give both of them a vote and pick the best structured argument and team as winner. | 20 |
| Team Work: POLICY PAPER | The instructor will provide a topic at the beginning of the course that has to be developed jointly by the whole class. Students will analyse the topic and attribute tasks for the completion of the project. At the end of the course they will present the results of their research divided into: analysis of the topic (with infographic or video), identification of key problems and policy prescriptions to address those problems. Please refer to the guidelines attached in Moodle as a reference fo the policy paper structure. | 20 |
| Mid & Final Exams | A written multiple-choice (20 questions, each questions 0.2 points) close-book exam based on the required readings of respectively the first & second part of the course. The exam will last 90 minutes, it will then be followed by a short break and in-depth class discussion about the questions | 40 |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs unti December 10th.
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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COURSE CALENDAR
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LECTURE
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TOPIC
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DATE
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READINGS
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ACTIVITIES
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1
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What is the ‘Century of Humiliation’ and which role does it play in today’s China’s politics?
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SEPTEMBER 1st
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Joseph, chap. 2
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2
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The Maoist era and Maoism: which are the core elements of Mao’s ideology and how did they shape the history of the PRC?
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SEPTEMBER 8th
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Schell and Delury,
chap. 9-10
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Setting course
agenda:
- Debates
- Presentation
- Team Work
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SEPTEMBER 15th
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Joseph, chap. 3 & 5
Lovell, chap. 12
Walder, chap. 14
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Presentations: Mao’s Thought
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3
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How did Mao’s foreign policy influence the evolution of global politics? And how much does it influence China’s foreign policy today?
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SEPTEMBER 22th
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Chi-Kwan, chap 1-7
Chen, Epilogue
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Presentations: Mao’s foreign policy
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4
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How did Deng’s reform and opening change China’s domestic politics and external relations?
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SEPTEMBER 29th
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Chi-Kwan, chap. 8
Joseph, chap. 4
Schell and Delury, chap. 11-12
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Debate:
Mao vs Deng
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5
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How did Sino-American relations evolve since the Cold War?
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OCTOBER 6th
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Fardella “The Sino-American Normalization: A Reassessment”, in Diplomatic History, Vol. 33, No. 4 (September 2009),
545-578.
Pomfret Part V
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Debate:
Are we in a New Cold War?
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MID TERM EXAM
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OCTOBER 13th
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6
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How does the Chinese Communist Party think and how does it actually work?
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OCTOBER 20th
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Joseph chaps 6-8
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Presentations: Xi’s New Era
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7
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Why are Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan so important for China?
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OCTOBER 27th
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Joseph chaps 17
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Debate:
Is the CCP implementing a ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang?
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NOVEMBER 3rd
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Joseph chaps 18-19
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Presentations: Taiwan & the South China Sea;
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8
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What is the Belt and Road Initiative and which kind of impact has it on the Euro-Mediterranean Region?
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NOVEMBER 10th
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Fardella, “The Belt and Road Initiative Impact on Europe: an Italian Perspective" in China&World
Economy, Special Issue: Eurasian Perspective on China's Belt and Road Initiative, Volume 25, Issue 5, September–October 2017, 125-138.
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Debate:
Is the defence of democracy in Hong Kong a strategic interest for the US and Europe?
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9
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Fifty years of Sino-Italian diplomatic relations: how relevant is Italy in China’s global strategy?
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NOVEMBER 17th
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Fardella, “A significant periphery of the Cold War: Italy-China bilateral relations, 1949–1989”,
Cold War History,
Vol. 2, 17. 2017, 181-197.
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Presentation: Sino-Italian relations 2019-2021
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10
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Is there a Chinese notion of world order?
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NOVEMBER 24th
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Wang, Chap. 6
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Debate:
Is there a Chinese alternative notion of global governance?
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TEAM WORK TOPIC:
Assess the potential evolution of US China Policies, China’s responses and their impact on Sino-American relations during the next presidential mandate
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DECEMBER 1st
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Final exams
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DECEMBER 8th
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