This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the PRC (People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-led political system.
In Term 1, we examine the key categories of organisation, ideology, space, population, and order to explore how the CCP has navigated the challenges of modernity and development. The course begins by analysing the overall structure of the Chinese Party-state, followed by an exploration of the ideology that sustains it. We then investigate how this system governs China’s vast geographical space and diverse population, and how it seeks to establish and maintain order.
In Term 2, we shift focus to additional fields and mechanisms of governance, including the production and regulation of difference, the role of capital and economic governance, the Party-state’s use and manipulation of history, the construction of science and values, the legal system, the provision and control of culture, and the role of technology. The course concludes by examining how these internal mechanisms shape China’s position in the global order.
Throughout the course, we are primarily concerned with two questions: first, how the Party-state, and the CCP in particular, interacts with various systems and leverages its mechanisms; and second, how these systems have evolved historically.
Note on Readings and Approach to the Module:
Students are encouraged to tailor their course of study by selecting readings that align with their individual interests. Each week’s syllabus includes essential readings, which offer a comprehensive overview of key themes, as well as several reading clusters that delve deeper into specific topics. For tutorials, it is recommended that students choose one cluster and complete two of the suggested readings. If you are giving a presentation, I suggest completing four readings (for further information on that, please see the assessment tab below).
Most of the readings for this course consist of academic articles that are freely accessible through the provided links. While sometimes entire books are recommended, there is no expectation that you read them. PDFs of the essential readings will be provided for each week unless a direct link is given.
Given the volume of material, it is neither possible nor expected to read everything thoroughly. Therefore, it is important to develop the skill of efficiently skimming academic articles. Focus on reading 1-2 essential readings in-depth, along with two from your chosen cluster for the tutorial. Beyond that, practice skimming 2-3 additional readings. Your goal should be to identify the following: (1) the main claim, (2) the methodology, and (3) 1-2 key data points from each article (this could be whatever stands out to you). To achieve this, you can read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion carefully, while skimming the rest.
We will discuss how to deal with and approach the readings during the first lecture - this might look very intimidating but it's not as difficult as it seems: we'll make it manageable.
That said, mastering this skill will be invaluable not only for your dissertation but for many academic and professional tasks in the future.
