Chinese Culture I

The course aims to provide students with the tools needed to understand 20th-century China, analysing its institutions and the historical, political and cultural developments, from the fall of the Chinese Empire to the 21st century. Initially, lectures will focus on the concept of revolution, on the relationship between State and Party, and on national identity. Then, the course will move on to explore some of the crucial issues of the reform process and the many manifestations of Chinese modernity, including the key words of Chinese politics, the goals of China's development, and the mechanisms governing the relationships between institutions and society. Reflections on these topics will focus on the correlations between ideology and cultural production, also exploring different languages.

By the end of the course, students will be equipped to understand the major historical, political and cultural issues of republican China - from the beginning of the modern era to its repercussions on today's society - and to identify phenomena that played a significant role in shaping the Chinese identity. By reading translated primary sources belonging to different genres, students will come to understand how China's various social and political stages impacted on its cultural production, an understanding that will enable them to critically discuss the interrelations of power, culture and identity.