JCU Logo

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 350"
COURSE NAME: "Politics of China"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2022
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Enrico Fardella
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: T 6:00 PM 8:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

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.
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:

  1. What is the ‘Century of Humiliation’ and which role does it play in today’s China’s politics? 
  2. The Maoist era and Maoism: which are the core elements of Mao’s ideology and how did they shape the history of the PRC? 
  3. How did Mao’s foreign policy influence the evolution of global politics? And how much does it influence China’s foreign policy today? 
  4. How did Deng’s reform and opening change China’s domestic politics and external relations? 
  5. How did Sino-American relations evolve since the Cold War?
  6. How does the Chinese Communist Party think and how does it actually work? 
  7. Why are Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan so important for China?
  8. How did Sino-Europeans relations have evolved since the Cold War? And which role plays today the Belt and Road Initiative in Sino-European relations?
  9. Fifty years of Sino-Italian diplomatic relations: how relevant is Italy in China’s global strategy?
  10. Is there a Chinese notion of world order? 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

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. 

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Politics in China: An introductionWilliam JosephOxford University Press978-0190870713     
China and the World since 1945: an International HistoryMark Chi-KwanRoutledge,978-0415606516     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Presentation Individual presentations on one of the topic of the course20%
Mid-TermA written mid-term exam based on the five questions addressed in the first part of the course20%
Final ExamA written final exam based on the ten questions addressed during the course20%
Team Work A group research work to be presented in class20%
Debate In class debates over pre-assigned key topics 20%

-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:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
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 until ____________
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.
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.

SCHEDULE

LECTURE

TOPIC

DATE

READINGS

ACTIVITIES

1

What is the ‘Century of Humiliation’ and which role does it play in today’s China’s politics?

SEPTEMBER 6th

Joseph, chap. 2

 

 

2

The Maoist era and Maoism: which are the core elements of Mao’s ideology and how did they shape the history of the PRC?

SEPTEMBER 13th

 

Schell and Delury,

chap. 9-10

Setting course

agenda:

  • Debates
  • Presentation
  • Team Work

 

—————-

SEPTEMBER 20th

Joseph, chap. 3 & 5

 

Lovell, chap. 12

 

Walder, chap. 14

Presentations: Mao’s Thought

3

How did Mao’s foreign policy influence the evolution of global politics? And how much does it influence China’s foreign policy today?

SEPTEMBER 27th

Chi-Kwan, chap 1-7

 

Chen, Epilogue

 

 

Presentation: Mao’s foreign policy

4

How did Deng’s reform and opening change China’s domestic politics and external relations?

OCTOBER 4th

Chi-Kwan, chap. 8

 

Joseph, chap. 4

 

Schell and Delury, chap. 11-12

Presentation: Deng’s foreign policy

5

How did Sino-American relations evolve since the Cold War?

OCTOBER 11th

Fardella “The Sino-American Normalization: A Reassessment”, in Diplomatic History, Vol. 33, No. 4 (September 2009),

545-578.

 

Pomfret Part V

 

Debate: US vs China

 

MID TERM EXAM

OCTOBER 18th

 

 

6

How does the Chinese Communist Party think and how does it actually work?

OCTOBER 21st

Joseph chaps 6-8

Presentations: Xi’s New Era

7

Why are Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan so important for China?

OCTOBER 25th

Joseph chaps 17

Presentations: Taiwan & the South China Sea;

 

—————-

NOVEMBER 8th

 

Joseph chaps 18-19

 

8

How did Sino-Europeans relations have evolved since the Cold War? And which role plays today the Belt and Road Initiative in Sino-European relations?

 

NOVEMBER 15th

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.

Presentation: the BRI and its latest developments

9

Fifty years of Sino-Italian diplomatic relations: how relevant is Italy in China’s global strategy?

NOVEMBER 22nd

Fardella, “A significant periphery of the Cold War: Italy-China bilateral relations, 1949–1989”,

Cold War History,

Vol. 2, 17. 2017, 181-197.

Presentation: Sino-Italian relations 2019-2021

10

Is there a Chinese notion of world order?

NOVEMBER 29th

Wang, Chap. 6

 

 

Debate:

 

Is there a Chinese alternative notion of global governance?

 

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

DECEMBER 6th

 

 

 

Final exams

DECEMBER 12-16th