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ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA
- Oggetto:
ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA
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Anno accademico 2025/2026
- Codice attività didattica
- CPS0483
- Docenti
- David Alan Ownby (Titolare dell'insegnamento)
- Corso di studio
- Corso di laurea magistrale in Scienze internazionali (Classe LM-52 R) [0302M21]
- Anno
- 1° anno
- Periodo
- Secondo semestre
- Tipologia
- Caratterizzante
- Crediti/Valenza
- 9
- SSD attività didattica
- SPS/07 - sociologia generale
- Erogazione
- Tradizionale
- Lingua
- Inglese
- Frequenza
- Facoltativa
- Tipologia esame
- Scritto ed orale
- Prerequisiti
- The syllabus for this course will allow all students, including those who have no previous knowledge in the field, to achieve the indicated learning outcomes.
While introducing new knowledge and concepts aimed at encouraging critical analysis and problematisation of the socioeconomic development of contemporary China, key historical, social and cultural dynamics will also be reviewed, in order to ensure full participation and understanding by all students.
Therefore, no specific prerequisites are required. - Oggetto:
Sommario insegnamento
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Obiettivi formativi
Can we be agnostic about today’s China? Should we be? As populism challenges the traditional consensus politics throughout much of the West, and as Donald Trump underlines the economic and diplomatic structures of the American-dominated postwar order, it is all the more important to look at China with fresh eyes. Whatever we may think of China’s version of authoritarianism, the Party-State had proven itself to be a superb problem-solver in the post-Mao era, and this alone means taking seriously the possibility the New China will dominate the 21st and 22nd centuries.
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Risultati dell'apprendimento attesi
The achievement of the expected learning outcomes will be judged asking the student to submit a written essay of approximately 5000-6000 words. The short essay will concern one of the topics and sources discussed in class.
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Programma
Week 1. Feb 16, 17, 18
Introduction
Jin, Ch. 1, The China Puzzle
Film: “To Live”
Documentary: “American Factory”
Gan Yang and Liu Xiaofeng, “The Cultural Positioning and Self-Betrayal of Peking University”
Week 2. Feb 23, 24, 25
How China Became A Great Power
Jin, Ch. 2, China’s Economic Miracle
Jin Ch. 5, The State and the Mayor Economy
Yuen Yuen Ang, “How China Escaped the Poverty Trap”
Wang Shaoguang, “Four Superior Points of the Chinese System”
Week 3. March 2, 3, 4
Social and Cultural Changes During Reform and Opening
Jin Ch. 3, China’s Consumers and the New Generation
Jin Ch. 4, Paradise and the Jungle, the Story of Chinese Firm
Zhan Jiang, “China’s Media through the Decades”
Xu Jilin, “Redimensioning the Chinese Enlightenment”
Helen Gao, “From Mao Zedong to Jeremy Lin: Why Basketball Is China's Biggest Sport”
Week 4. March 9, 10, 11
Social Order and Social Control During Reform and Opening
Qin Hui, “Looking at China from South Africa”
Mei Fong on China’s one-child policy (podcast)
Chris Fei Shen, “Social Credit System in China”
Yifeng Cheng and M. Obaidul Hamid1, “Social impact of Gaokao in China: a critical review of research”
Week 5. March 16, 17, 18
The Evolution of the Chinese Communist Party
Ezra Klein interview with Yuen Yuen Ang on the new age of the CCP (transcript of podcast)
Yao Yang, “The Evolution of the Chinese Communist Party”
David Shambaugh “Becoming a Ganbu: China’s Cadre Training School System”
Frank N. Pieke, “Magic, Religion, and the Naturalisation of Chinese Communist Party Rule”
Week 6. March 23, 24, 25
Propaganda State vs. Online/Virtual World
Séverine Arsène, “Global China in the Age of Algorithms”
Maria Repnikova and Kecheng Fang, “Authoritarian Participatory Persuasion 2.0: Netizens as Thought Work Collaborators in China”
Li Jun, “Two Worlds, One Wall: China’s Independent Media”
Jennifer Pan and Yiqing Xu, “China’s Ideological Spectrum”
Gary King, Jennifer Pan, and Margaret E. Roberts, “How the Chinese Government Fabricates Social Media Posts for Strategic Distraction, Not Engaged Argument”
Week 7. March 30, 31, April 1
Visions of the Future
Jin, Ch. 7, The Technology Race
Jin, Ch. 8, China’s Role in Global Trade
Jin, Ch. 10, Toward a New Paradigm
State Council, “Made in China 2025”
“Innovation Nation” (video site)
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, “China: A Global Power’s Celestial Ambitions”
Mingwei Song, “Variations on Utopia in Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction”
Week 8: April 13, 14, 15
Demography, Youth, Women
Liu Jianzhang, “China’s Looming Demographic Disaster”
Youthology, “China’s Vulnerable Generation”
Liu Xintang, “Why Are Contemporary Youth Increasingly Unhappy?”
Lü Pin, “Feminism and the Blank Paper Revolution”
Week 9: April 20, 21, 22
Student Presentations
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Modalità di insegnamento
Lectures will be held in English.
The last week of class will be given over to student preparations, allowing the students to present their work before their classmates.
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Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento
The achievement of the expected learning outcomes will be judged asking the student to submit a written essay of approximately 5000-6000 words. The short essay will concern one of the topics and sources discussed in class. 80%
The essay should be submitted no less than two weeks before the final exam, which will be an oral defense of the student’s essay presented to the professor. The last week of class will be given over to student preparations, allowing the students to present their work before their classmates.
The evaluation of the essay will take the following aspects into account:
The student's knowledge and understanding of the reading material assigned on the subject.
The student's ability to illustrate and reflect on the topic on the basis of the work done in class with the instructor.
The originality of the approach
The clarity of the writing and argumentation.
The following grading schema will be applied:
28-30 – Outstanding and original application of knowledge obtained during the course; critical use of secondary research; fluently written and convincingly argued.
25-27 – Strong use of knowledge obtained during the course; critical use of secondary research; well written and argued.
22-24- adequate use of knowledge obtained during the course; adequate use of secondary research; adequately written and argued.
18-21- uneven application of knowledge obtained during the course; minimal use of secondary research; some writing problems and unclear argumentation.
Students will also be expected to participate actively in class discussion by discussing particular texts chosen in consultation with the professor. 20%
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Attività di supporto
The professor will be available for office hours immediately after each class; students wishing to make an appointment should inform the instructor at the start of class.
Testi consigliati e bibliografia
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Textbook: Keyu Jin, The New China Playbook: Beyond Socialism and Capitalism (2023)
Syllabus
Week 1. Feb 16, 17, 18
Introduction
Jin, Ch. 1, The China Puzzle
Film: “To Live”
Documentary: “American Factory”
Gan Yang and Liu Xiaofeng, “The Cultural Positioning and Self-Betrayal of Peking University”
Week 2. Feb 23, 24, 25
How China Became A Great Power
Jin, Ch. 2, China’s Economic Miracle
Jin Ch. 5, The State and the Mayor Economy
Yuen Yuen Ang, “How China Escaped the Poverty Trap”
Wang Shaoguang, “Four Superior Points of the Chinese System”
Week 3. March 2, 3, 4
Social and Cultural Changes During Reform and Opening
Jin Ch. 3, China’s Consumers and the New Generation
Jin Ch. 4, Paradise and the Jungle, the Story of Chinese Firm
Zhan Jiang, “China’s Media through the Decades”
Xu Jilin, “Redimensioning the Chinese Enlightenment”
Helen Gao, “From Mao Zedong to Jeremy Lin: Why Basketball Is China's Biggest Sport”
Week 4. March 9, 10, 11
Social Order and Social Control During Reform and Opening
Qin Hui, “Looking at China from South Africa”
Mei Fong on China’s one-child policy (podcast)
Chris Fei Shen, “Social Credit System in China”
Yifeng Cheng and M. Obaidul Hamid1, “Social impact of Gaokao in China: a critical review of research”
Week 5. March 16, 17, 18
The Evolution of the Chinese Communist Party
Ezra Klein interview with Yuen Yuen Ang on the new age of the CCP (transcript of podcast)
Yao Yang, “The Evolution of the Chinese Communist Party”
David Shambaugh “Becoming a Ganbu: China’s Cadre Training School System”
Frank N. Pieke, “Magic, Religion, and the Naturalisation of Chinese Communist Party Rule”
Week 6. March 23, 24, 25
Propaganda State vs. Online/Virtual World
Séverine Arsène, “Global China in the Age of Algorithms”
Maria Repnikova and Kecheng Fang, “Authoritarian Participatory Persuasion 2.0: Netizens as Thought Work Collaborators in China”
Li Jun, “Two Worlds, One Wall: China’s Independent Media”
Jennifer Pan and Yiqing Xu, “China’s Ideological Spectrum”
Gary King, Jennifer Pan, and Margaret E. Roberts, “How the Chinese Government Fabricates Social Media Posts for Strategic Distraction, Not Engaged Argument”
Week 7. March 30, 31, April 1
Visions of the Future
Jin, Ch. 7, The Technology Race
Jin, Ch. 8, China’s Role in Global Trade
Jin, Ch. 10, Toward a New Paradigm
State Council, “Made in China 2025”
“Innovation Nation” (video site)
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, “China: A Global Power’s Celestial Ambitions”
Mingwei Song, “Variations on Utopia in Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction”
Week 8: April 13, 14, 15
Demography, Youth, Women
Liu Jianzhang, “China’s Looming Demographic Disaster”
Youthology, “China’s Vulnerable Generation”
Liu Xintang, “Why Are Contemporary Youth Increasingly Unhappy?”
Lü Pin, “Feminism and the Blank Paper Revolution”
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Note
Erasmus students and students with special needs are invited to reach out to the professor at the beginning of the semester so as to make proper arrangements.
Professor Ownby meets students by previous appointment in person and on the Webex platform if needed.
Students are required to schedule the appointment via email (david.ownby@unito.it and virginia.mariano@unito.it) by Friday of the previous week.- Oggetto:
