KIN4530 – Topics in Chinese Ideas and Ideologies

Course content

Spring 2019: “From the Great Divergence to the Great Convergence: Political Economy in Modern China”

Detailed course description for Spring 2019: Topic, teaching, exam and reading list.

General description

This course focuses on one or more central topics in the field of Chinese ideas and ideologies, both historical and contemporary. These ideas and ideologies may be:

  • traditional and indigenous Chinese ideas and ideologies
  • ideological currents shaped by China’s historical global encounters
  • ideas and ideologies in contemporary China

Examples of such ideas and ideologies may include Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Syncretism, Buddhism, Social Darwinism, Racial theory, Capitalism, Communism, Feminism, Modernism, Nationalism, and Individualism.

During the course, you will study one or more topics in the context of major theoretical approaches relevant to the analysis of Chinese ideas and ideologies. The course includes reading, analysis and discussion of Chinese sources. Training in essay writing and oral presentation is an integrated part of the course.

Previous topics:

Spring 2018: "Citizenship in China: Concepts, Practices, Dynamics".

Learning outcome

  • You will learn to identify, read, summarize, and analyze sources relevant to the study of key topics in Chinese ideas and ideologies.
  • Through teacher-guided writing of an essay you will learn to present academic knowledge in a written form.
  • Through class presentations and oral discussions you will learn to present and debate academic knowledge orally.

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Please see the admission requirements defined by the programme option Chinese Society and Politics or East Asian Culture and History.

NB! The teaching presupposes competence in modern Chinese language and basic reading competence in classical Chinese.

Teaching

A combination of lectures and seminars organised as 10 classes of 2 hrs each throughout the semester.

Compulsory activities

  • Active participation in class and at least 80 per cent attendance is required.
  • A qualifying assignment in the form of oral presentation in class.

See the specific course description for Spring 2019 for more details.

All compulsory activities must be approved in order to qualify for the exam. It is the student’s responsibility to check whether or not the compulsory activities are approved.