Contemporary Chinese Politics

This introductory course provides students with a background on major political events in modern China beginning with the end of the Qing dynasty, and then investigates the major political issues in China today-—civil society activity, problems and benefits associated with deepening economic liberalization, and discourse from within the CCP on political reform. This course focuses first on economic reform issues, such as income inequality, the floating population, and changes in the socialist welfare model, and then on political reform issues, such as the liberalization of news media, NGO and civil society activity, protest and social movements, environmental protection, and legal reform. Course readings range from selections by Marx and Lenin to recent works in political science and sociology on the transformation of state and society under Communist Party rule. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Comparative Politics)/