Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/New York University Shanghai/China Encounters the World (Fall)

This is a seminar course focusing on how “China” (中国), the country with the world’s largest population and one of the longest and most continuous histories, has encountered the outside world since around the 17th century, with an emphasis on the late 19th and 20th centuries. When “China” is used to describe the people, land and civilization that form the historical and civilizational foundation of China today as a modern national-state of multinationalities, we fully realize the complications involved in such a description. This will be a major topic of discussion in this course. In particular, we will analyze the age-old Chinese “Central Kingdom” self-image and how the image was overturned during modern times in face of Western and Japanese challenges and China’s inability to cope with their consequences. We will also explore the Chinese “victim mentality”—a collective “belief complex” in that it was the political incursion, economic exploitation and military aggression of foreign imperialist countries that had undermined the “Central Kingdom’s” historical glory and had reduced it to a victimized member of modern international community—and the mentality’s impact on the Chinese experience in dealing with other parts of the world. The course will concentrate on China’s external relations, but foreign policy issues will be examined in the context of China’s political, economic, social and cultural developments in broader terms. The course will also pay special attention to the role of “human agencies” in the shaping of historical processes. The course provides a chronological account of main historical events, but its purpose is not just to impart information; it also aims to cultivate a basic understanding of the significance of the Chinese experience in the age of globalization and worldwide modernization.

No prerequisites for students to take this course. However, the students are strongly encouraged to study Chinese, if they do not already know the language. The students need to prepare carefully for each session before the class, including going over the readings and marking up questions on points that they do not fully understand; listen attentively and participate actively during the class, including raising thought-provoking questions, generating focused discussions, and providing thoughtful feedbacks to peer classmates; complete and submit after-class assignments on time.