Modernity and Nationhood in China
MW 2:30-3:45 in KJ 222 Office
hours: TF 2:30-3:30
Aims of the course: This course focuses on the
problems of modernity and nationhood in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Chinese history. The readings and
class discussions address problems inherent in understanding Chinese modernity
within the framework of Western historical experiences and the historical expectations, values, and analytical terms this framework
has produced. The course also critically examines the ÒWestern impactÓ model Ð
premised on the belief that the West was the source of modernity Ð in global
and Chinese historical contexts in order to better understand modern China in its own terms.
Books
for purchase
Prasenjit
Duara, Rescuing History from the Nation
Jonathan
Spence, GodÕs Chinese Son: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan
Jun Jing, The
Temple of Memories: History, Power, and Morality in a Chinese Village
Other
readings:
*Conrad SchirokauerÕs A Brief History of Chinese and
Japanese Civilizations (Wadsworth, 1989) is also on regular (hardcopy) reserve in Burke
Library: this book serves as the course Òtextbook,Ó which provides essential
factual information on Chinese history. These short reading assignments are
required; familiarity with this information is assumed in class discussion, and
will be subject to periodic quizzes.
¥ Readings
made available as photocopies or electronic reserve
Please
come prepared to discuss all reading assignments on the dates for which they
are assigned.
Introduction
(8/30)
I. Late
Imperial China (9/1-9/13)
A. Society & Economy: social
status; economic organization and practices; bureaucratic regulation 9/1
*
Schirokauer, A Brief History of Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 328-53
B. State: emperor, religious functions; civil bureaucracy, Confucian gentry, civil examinations 9/6-8
¥ Richard Smith, ChinaÕs Cultural
Heritage: The Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912 (Boulder:
Westview, 1994), 155-185
¥ Rev. Justus Doolittle, Social
Life of the Chinese
(New York: Harper & Brothers, 1865)
1:255-272, 353-375
Duara,
ÒIntroduction,Ó Rescuing History, 3-16 (class discussion 9/13)
¥ Kenneth
Pomeranz, The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern
World Economy
(Princeton, 2000), 3-27
II.
China & the West (9/15-10/13)
A. Modernity: Enlightenment,
rationalism, secular humanism, positivism, linear history; industrial
revolution 9/15
Duara, ÒLinear History and the
Nation-state,Ó Rescuing History, 17-50 (class
discussion 9/20)
Quiz on
Schirokauer, A Brief History & Smith, ChinaÕs Cultural Heritage: 9/22
B. European expansion into Asia: Marco Polo, Jesuits, MaCartney Mission, Canton System, Opium Wars 9/22
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 311-26, 384-407
¥ Pomeranz, The Great Divergence, 31-68 (class discussion 9/27)
#1 paper due: Thursday 9/30
C. Missionaries 9/29-10/6
¥ Suzanne Barnett, ÒJustus Doolittle
at Foochow,Ó in Christianity
in China: Early Protestant Missionary Writings, ed.
Suzanne W. Barnett & John K. Fairbank (Harvard, 1985), 107-19
James Hevia, ÒLeaving a Brand on
ChinaÓ (Modern China) 18 (1992) 3: 304-332 (JSTOR)
*Christianity
in China: From the Eighteenth Century to the Present, ed. Daniel H. Bays (Stanford, 1996): contains articles to
use for second paper due on 10/22
III. Nineteenth-century
rebellions: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (10/11-10/16)
Secret societies and rebellions
10/11
Spence, GodÕs Chinese Son 10/13-10/18 (discussion of readings
in preparation for 2nd paper)
¥ ÒGospel, Jointly Witnessed and
Heard by the Imperial Eldest and Second Eldest Brothers,Ó The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents, ed. Franz Michael (University
of Washington Press, 1966-1971) 2: 7-18
¥ ÒThe Taiping Heavenly Chronicle,Ó The
Taiping Rebellion
2: 51-79
IV. Late imperial reform (10/20)
Self-Strengthening Movement, 100
Days Reform, Kang Youwei, Tan Sitong 10/20
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 450-68
¥ ÒRestoration through Reform,Ó The
Search for Modern China: A Documentary Collection, eds. Pei-kai Cheng, Michael Lestz,
Jonathan Spence (W. W. Norton & Company, 1999),
150-63
Duara, ÒProvincial Narratives of the
Nation,Ó Rescuing History, 177-204
#2 paper due: Friday 10/22
V. Nationhood and Revolution
(10/25-11/3)
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 469-83
A. Nationalism, Nationhood 10/25
¥ Sun Yatsen, ÒThree Principles of
the PeopleÓ (San min zhuyi) (Chungking: Ministry of
Information, Republic of China, 1943)
Duara, ÒThe Genealogy of Fengjian or Feudalism,Ó Rescuing History, 147-175
Quiz on Schirokauer, A Brief
History:
11/1
B. Republican Revolution, 1911-12
(11/1)
¥ ÒThe Dog-Meat General,Ó Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook, ed. Patricia Ebrey (Free
Press, 1993), 373-377
¥ ÒGeneralissimo Jiang on National
Identity,ÓChinese Civilization, A Sourcebook, 401-406
Ä ÒChina in Revolution, 1911-49Ó (55
min.), part 1 (11/3)
VI. Competing Modernities
(11/8-11/29)
A. May 4th Movement: Hu Shi &
Chen Duxiu 11/8-10
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 483-90
¥ÒThe Spirit of the May Fourth
Movement,Ó Chinese Civilization, A Sourcebook, 360-363
¥ÒThe General Strike,Ó Chinese
Civilization, A Sourcebook, 378-384
B. Republicanism: anti-religion
campaigns 11/15
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 490-97, 525-50
Duara, ÒThe Campaigns against
Religion,Ó Rescuing History, 85-113
C. Post-Modernity 11/17
Duara, ÒCritics of Modernity,Ó Rescuing
History, 205-227
¥ Leo Lee, ÒModernity and its
Discontents,Ó Perspectives
on Modern China: Four Anniversaries,
ed. Kenneth Lieberthal, et al. (M.E. Sharpe, 1991), 158-77
Ä ÒChina in Revolution, 1911-49Ó (55
min.), part 2 (11/29)
VII. Mao and Maoism (12/1-12/8)
* Schirokauer, A Brief History of
Chinese and Japanese Civilizations, 553-559, 600-28
Quiz on Schirokauer, A Brief
History:
12/1
A. Pre-Ô49 Mao: formation of a
Chinese Marxism 12/1
¥ Mao Zedong, ÒReport on an
Investigation of the Peasant Movement In Hunan,Ó
(3/1927), 23-59
Ä ÒThe Mao Years, 1949-76Ó (117
mins.) 12/6
B. State Maoism 12/6-8
¥ Jing, Temple of Memories
¥ ÒMaoÕs Appearance at the First Red
Guard RallyÉ,Ó The PeopleÕs Republic of China
¥ Mao Zedong, ÒOn the Correct
Handling of Contradictions among the PeopleÓ (2/27/57), 384-421
¥ Quotations from Chairman Mao
Tse-tung, 1-22,
45-57
#3 paper
due: 12/10
Course
Requirements:
Writing
assignments: All
papers are due in my office or in my mailbox in KJ 136 by 3:00 P.M. on the date
due. No extensions
granted unless by prior arrangement more than 24 hours before assignments are
due. Papers should be double-spaced with approx. 1Ó margins and reasonably
sized font (10 or 12 point), and printed in dark, legible ink; preferably on a
laser printer.
#1:
critical essay on the problem of History and the nation based on Duara, Rescuing
History from the Nation, pp. 3-50 and at least one other source listed under ÒI. Late Imperial
China,Ó due on Sept. 30; 4-5 pages.
#2 critical
essay on the problem of modernity and/or the ÒWestern impactÓ (keep in mind the courseÕs aim
of challenging
prevalent ideas of modernity and the very idea of the Western impact) using
Spence, GodÕs Chinese Son and/or Pomeranz, The Great Divergence, and at least one primary
source listed
under sections II and/or III of the syllabus or in the books listed below,
which are on reserve in Burke Library, due on Oct. 22; 5-7 pages.
#3:
critical essay on China under Mao using Jun Jing, Temple of Memories and at least one primary
source listed
on the syllabus or in the books listed below, which are on reserve in Burke
Library, due on Dec 10; 5-7 pages.
In addition
to readings listed on the syllabus, you may also use the following sources, which
contain translations of primary sources.
Patricia
Ebrey, Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook
Michael
Lestz and Pei-kai Cheng,
The Search for Modern China: A Documentary Reader
final
course grade determined on the basis of the following:
Quizzes 20%
essay #1 20%
essay #2 20%
essay #3 20%
regular
class participation 20%