This subject will provide students with an introduction to the political history and contemporary politics of modern China, with an emphasis on China's rise, decline and re-emergence as a global power. We will begin with a brief survey of China during the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) and the complex dynamics between foreign imperialism and the rise of Chinese nationalism. In the second half of the subject, students will focus on China's re-emergence since 1949, exploring different aspects of modern Chinese politics, such as the environment, changing notions of 'revolution', prospects for democratisation, globalisation and the Chinese economy, and the minority problem. Students will achieve a richer appreciation for China's past and present, while more critically evaluating China's changing national trajectory and its contemporary moves to reclaim its perceived historical mantle.

Subject rules

Readings