HIST 593 - The History of Modern China

3 credits

This course will cover the past 350 years of Chinese history, a period that has been dubbed as “modern” by Western historians. Beginning with the establishment of the “barbarian” Qing dynasty in 1644, the course ends with the Tian’anmen Massacre in 1989. Through lectures, books, videos, and handouts, the course will focus on three distinct periods in the “modern” era of Chinese civilization: the Qing Dynasty, 1644-1911; the Republic of China, 1911-1949; and the People’s Republic of China, 1949-present. Important themes stressed in the curriculum are the resilience of “traditional” Chinese culture, the impact of the West (on ideas, politics, economics, and society), and revolution. The objective of this course is to provide students with a general background of the important people, ideologies, and events that have shaped the China of the present and no doubt the futures as well.

Note
No previous knowledge of modern China is required. NOTE: Courses in the 500 series are open to undergraduate students as *400 series. Graduate students are required to do additional work of a research nature. A course completed at the 400 level may not be taken at the 500 level with the same instructor.

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