Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3133: Chinese Politics and Society

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module will introduce you to the history, internal politics and foreign policy of China. First, it aims to provide you with the historical background and conceptual tools to analyse political and social processes in China. By the end of the module, you will be able to understand how the doctrine of Communism has evolved in China over the past 70 years; evaluate the structure of family, gender and social relations; assess the ways in which rapid economic growth is transforming society; and understand the key principles driving Chinese foreign policy. Second, it will acquaint you with the central concepts and analytical frameworks associated with China, including Confucianism, ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’, peaceful rise, and hukou. Thirdly, it will introduce you to concepts, perspectives and processes that will be useful in international relations and comparative politics more broadly, including the regional organisations that China engages with, as well as domestic processes such as modernization and urbanization. Finally, it aims to develop a sensitivity towards the differences between Western and non-Western worldviews; by the end of the module, you will also be able to attune yourself to hidden assumptions in Western and Chinese scholarly and journalistic reports on the region.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Comprehend and evaluate the modern historical contexts for contemporary events and processes in China. 2. Comprehend and evaluate a range of key concepts and theoretical approaches to China.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Critically employ a range of theoretical frameworks to a variety of empirical cases. 4. Critically analyze theoretical and empirical materials.
Personal and Key Skills	5. Construct a reasoned and logical argument supported by evidence. 6. Communicate effectively through well-structured speech and writing 7. Work independently and with peers to achieve goals.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

It is anticipated that the module will cover a range of topics on Chinese politics and society including the following:

Dynasties and Imperialism in Chinese History -1912
The Rise and Consolidation of Communism
China during the Cold War
Deng Xiaoping and Economic Restructuring: 1976-1989
The peaceful rise of China as a superpower
The Chinese Communist Party Today
Confucianism, Gender and Family Structure
Urbanization, Migration and Social Mobility
Nationalism, Ethnicities and Ethnic Relations: From Tibet to Xinjiang
Chinese Foreign Policy

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities	22	11 seminars, each 2 hours long
Guided Independent Study	128	Private study students are expected to read suggested texts and make notes prior to seminar sessions. They are also expected to read widely to complete their coursework assignments. More specifically, students are expected to devote at least: 58 hours to directed reading; 6 hours for completing the formative essay plan; 24 hours on completing the presentation; around 40 hours on completing the essay.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

This course will require you to keep up to date with political developments in China, not only from Western/European perspectives, but also from Chinese perspectives. This means reading widely across different news and commentary platforms.

Western/European perspectives (aside from the standard reputable Western media sources, you might like to browse the following)

The Diplomat: http://thediplomat.com/

China-US Focus: http://www.chinausfocus.com/

ChinaFile: https://www.chinafile.com/

Black Livity China: https://blacklivitychina.com/

Chuang: http://chuangcn.org/

I also recommend signing up for the following newsletters on Chinese affairs:

Sinocism: https://sinocism.com/

Axios China: https://www.axios.com/newsletters/

Chinese perspectives

Xinhua: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

The People’s Daily: http://en.people.cn/