Culture and Society of Contemporary China

Code

MLAC1167

School

Modern Languages and Cultures

Level

1

Credits

20

Semesters

Full Year UK

Summary

This is an introductory-level course for the first-year students. No previous knowledge of social sciences or of China is required. 
 
In this module we will look at the social and cultural changes that have taken place in China, since 1979. The module will begin by setting out the programme of economic reform, introduced by Deng Xiaoping in order to integrate the Chinese economy into global flows of goods, services and investments. For example, we will outline the measures introduced to increase foreign direct investment in the country and map the different global companies that have set up business in China since the Reform. 
 
The module will then look at the complex set of social and cultural changes that have taken place in China as a consequence. In this respect we will look at issues such as internal migration from the countryside to the city and international migration from China to the rest of the world. We will address the profound impacts on education, health and social care policy. We will also look at the rise of the consumer society in China. The focus here will be on issues to do with travel and tourism, leisure time and holidays, the national diet and the rise of the internet, social media, online shopping and electronic payment systems using apps such as ‘wechat’.  
 
Topics covered may be taken from 
 
(1) Chinese Open-door policy and reform ( economy reform and its impact) 
  
(2) The economic impacts of the Reform with the emphasis on foreign direct investment 
 
(3) Internal migration  
 
(4) International migratory flows  
 
(5) Education, health and social care policy 
 
(6) The rise of consumer society 
 
(7) Travel and tourism industry  
 
(8) Retail sector in China  
 
(9) Online shopping and electronic payment systems 
 
(10) Dietary change 
A single exam will replace all failed assessment components at the reassessment stage.

Target Students

This is a compulsory module only available to first-year students on the following degrees:BA Jt Hons French and Contemporary Chinese StudiesBA Jt Hons German and Contemporary Chinese StudiesBA Jt Hons Russian and Contemporary Chinese StudiesBA Jt Hons Spanish and Contemporary Chinese StudiesBA Jt Hons History and Contemporary Chinese Studies.This module is also available to BA Y1 Liberal Arts students as an optional module.

Classes

• One 2-hour lecture each week for 20 weeks

Assessment

• 20% Presentation 1: A 15-minute group seminar presentation, plus 5 minutes of questions at the end of the Autumn semester.
• 80% Exam 1 (2-hour): 2 Hour take-home exam

Assessed in both autumn & spring semest

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

​Knowledge and understanding: students will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and critical understanding of recent developments in Chinese economics, politics, society, and culture, where possible by engagement with authentic texts (A2, A3);  

Intellectual skills: students will have the opportunity to learn: to gather and evaluate information from Chinese, and where appropriate, English sources (B1); to reflect critically and assess in the light of evidence and argument (B2); to analyse and discuss historical, political, intellectual, and literary concepts in the field of Chinese Studies (B3); to engage in independent research (B4); to engage in critical and analytic reflection on the material of the module (B5); to express ideas clearly and effectively in the context of a well-constructed argument (B6); to make practical and effective use of English (B8). 

Professional/practical skills: students will have the opportunity to develop their skills of reading and interpretation including their ability to read Chinese at an elementary level (C3). 

Transferable/key skills: students will have the opportunity to: develop effective communication of information and ideas in appropriate registers of both oral and written English (D1); gather, process and critically evaluate material from a variety of sources, written, oral or audio-visual (D2); work independently and in groups (D4, D5); organise time and work programmes effectively and meet deadlines (D7); use IT effectively as a means of communication and an aid to learning (D8); reflect on his/her own performance and recognise strengths and weaknesses (D9). 

Conveners

• Dr Lan Lo