HIST 2985 - Transformations in Twentieth Century China

(crosslisted) ASIAN 2286, CAPS 2985
(GB) (HA-AS)

Spring. 4 credits. Student option grading.

J. Barwick.

The twentieth century was a time of unprecedented change in China as the country’s ancient imperial system collapsed and a new modern order began to emerge. This course will explore the myriad transformations that occurred during this remarkable century of revolution and renewal. Among the major changes that we will focus on are the fall of the Qing dynasty, the intellectual awakening of May Fourth, the rise of the Nationalist party-state, and key events of the Communist era, such as the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution under Mao Zedong and the capitalist reforms of Deng Xiaoping. The class will encourage historical reflection on China’s engagement with the modern world in order to better understand the complex reality of China today. (HNU)