Class Schedule

Schedule of Class Topics and Readings














UNIT DAILY TOPICS
1. Jesuits, Travelers, Advisers, Philosophers in the late Ming and early Qing Jan 6: Introduction to the class: practicalities, philosophy, methods
Historical background of the period in China and Europe

Jan 8: Ricci's project and his understanding
Chinese understandings of the Jesuits

Jan 13: China and the philosophers, with particular reference to Leibniz
READINGS

2. Lord Macartney's Mission Jan 15: The meaning of Macartney at the time: culture vs. empire

Jan 20: The history of Macartney after Macartney: empire vs. culture
READINGS

3. The Taiping Revolution Jan 22: The mixed-up mind of Hong Xiuquan
The Taiping Ideology as syncretism

Jan 27: The history of the history of the Taipings: Chinese and Western
READINGS

4. The Missionary Enterprise in the 19th and 20th Centuries Jan 29: The importance of missions in American Protestantism
Missionary views of Chinese culture

Feb 3: Gender and imperialism: theory
Gender and imperialism: footbinding and gentility

Feb 5: Anti-missionary activity
Missions and the training of revolutionaries

READINGS

5. 19th- and early 20th- century Chinese views of Western thought Feb 10: The first gropings for understanding
The self-stengthening movement

Feb 12: Democracy and liberalism
The May 4th era

Feb 17: Chinese Marxism
READINGS

6. Medical dialogue Feb 19: Principles of Chinese medicine
Chinese adoption of allopathic medicine

Feb 24: Chinese medicine and the New Age
Acupuncture and Science
READINGS

7. Pop goes the culture Feb 26: Charlie Chan and Fu Manchu; view "Misunderstanding China"
Asian Americans and Asian stereotypes

For this class, you should also look at Frank Capra's "The Bitter Tea of General Yen." We will arrange showings to people's convenience.

Mar 3: Chinese takeout and China McDonalds
Chinese underground rock music: Andrew Jones and Robert Efird
READINGS
8. Democracy Mar 5: The student movement of 1989: causes and history

Mar 10: Foreign TV coverage of the 1989 movement

Mar 12: Dissidents as heroes
The question of rights

READINGS


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