Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

The laboratory aims to provide students with essential notions about the historical trajectory of China as a global actor from the first Opium War until the present day, and combine it with analysis of current events. With a solid grasp of China's recent foreign relations history, and with the context and perspective provided through the in-class discussions, students will develop a more nuanced understanding of the global role that China is currently playing, and the role it is poised to play in the future.

By the end of the laboratory students will be able to understand and discuss the most important topics related to the question of the global role and trajectory of the People's Republic of China, provide a critical analysis of them, and apply them in their further research or practical work. They will be able to weave through the history of China’s foreign relations, and will be prepared to confidently discuss current events. Students will be able to further deepen their knowledge through the bibliography recommended during the course.

Due to limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the laboratory will be taught on-line during the regular class hours and structured so as to stimulate the active involvement of students. It will include active reading, guided discussions, interactive contents (e.g. quizzes), writing of response papers, and team assignments.

Given the work plan of the course, attending students are required to participate on a regular basis.

Class schedule: TBA

In order to obtain the relevant 3CFU, students will be required to produce two short essays (1,500 words each), and obtain a "Pass" grade.  In one of the essays they will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of China’s historical trajectory as a global actor; in the other one, they will be expected to apply this knowledge and provide their own interpretation of current affairs. Students will be given the opportunity to pick and choose the questions they want to address from a list presented in class.

Students who do not wish to obtain the relevant 3CFU, may nonetheless attend the laboratory and fully participate in its activities. They will not be required to produce written work, but will be expected to attend regularly.

The laboratory will be taught during 6 thematic sessions. Every session will last for 3 hours. The sessions will be interactive, and will feature discussions, student presentations and comments, and revision of the previously covered material.

Thursday, October 14, 15.00 - 18.00. Class 1 - The Century of Humiliation and its Meaning
Friday, October 15, 16.30 - 19.30. Class 2 - Revolution, Communism and the Birth of the New China
Thursday, October 21, 15.00 - 18.00. Class 3 - Mao’s China in the Cold War
Thursday, October 28, 15.00 - 18.00. Class 4 - Deng Xiaoping and China’s Integration in Global Capitalism
Friday, October 29, 16.30 - 19.30. Class 5 - Xi Jinping, and the Era of Aspiration and Friction
Thursday, November 4, 15.00 - 18.00. Class 6 - US-China Tensions and the Impact of COVID-19

Students are expected to have completed the assigned required readings before each class, and are highly encouraged to explore the optional ones. For some sessions, there are movies recommendations as well.

Class 1 - The Century of Humiliation and its Meaning

Required

Jeffrey Wasserstrom, “Imperial China” in China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs To Know®, (Oxford University Press, 2010), pp. 19-35.

Wang Zheng, “Never forget national humiliation.” The Focus: Postcolonial dialogues/ IIAS Newsletter (2014). https://www.iias.asia/sites/default/files/nwl_article/2019-05/IIAS_NL59_3233.pdf

William A. Callahan, “National Insecurities: Humiliation, Salvation, and Chinese Nationalism.” Alternatives 29 (2004), pp. 199–218.

Further / Optional

David Scott, China and the International System, 1840-1949: Power, Presence and Perceptions in a Century of Humiliation (SUNY Press, 2008).

Class 2 - Communism and Revolutionary China

Required

Jeffrey Wasserstrom, “Revolutions and Revolutionaries” in China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs To Know®, (Oxford University Press, 2010), pp. 36-66.

Julia Lovell, “What is Maoism?” and “World Revolution” in Maoism: A Global History (Bodley Head, 2019).

Further/ Optional

Edgar Snow, Red Star over China: The Classic Account of the Birth of Chinese Communism (Grove Press, 1994).

Movies

China: A Century of Revolution, Part 1. (1997). Director: Sue Williams. https://archive.org/details/china..a.century.of.revolution/China+-+A+Century+of+Revolution+-+Part+1+-+1911+to+1949.avi

The Founding of a Republic (2009), Directors: Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang.

Class 3 - China in the Cold War

Required

John Garver, The History of the Foreign Relations of the PRC (Oxford University Press, 2016), Chapters 2, 3, 5 and 9.

Further/ Optional

Chen Jian, Mao's China and the Cold War (UNC Press, 2001).

Movie

China: A Century of Revolution, Part 2. (1997). Director: Sue Williams. https://archive.org/details/china..a.century.of.revolution/China+-+A+Century+of+Revolution+-+Part+2+-+1949++to+1976.avi

Class 4 - China’s Integration in Global Capitalism

Required

Tian Yu Cao, The Chinese Model of Modern Development (Routledge, 2005). Introduction and Conclusion.

John Garver, The History of the Foreign Relations of the PRC (Oxford University Press, 2016), Chapters 13 and 15.

Further/ Optional

Yin-wah Chu, Chinese Capitalisms (Routdlege, 2010), Chapters 1 and 3.

Pei Sun et al. “The dynamic value of MNE political embeddedness: The case of the Chinese automobile industry.” Journal of International Business Studies 41(7), pp.1161-1182.

Ho-fung Hung, “The periphery in the making of globalization: the China Lobby and the Reversal of Clinton’s China Trade Policy, 1993–1994.” Review of International Political Economy (2020, online first).

Movie

China: A Century of Revolution, Part 3. (1997). Director: Sue Williams. https://archive.org/details/china..a.century.of.revolution/China+-+A+Century+of+Revolution+-+Part+3+-+1976+to+1997.avi

Class 5 – The Era of Achievements and Aspirations

Required

Avery Goldstein, “China’s Grand Strategy under Xi Jinping,” International Security 45/1 (2020), pp.164-201

Yang Jiemian, “China's 'New Diplomacy' under the Xi Jinping Administration,” China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies 1/1 (2015), pp. 1-17.

Anastas Vangeli, “The Normative Foundations of the Belt and Road Initiative” in Shan W. et al, Normative Readings of the Belt and Road Initiative (Springer 2018), pp. 59-83.

Further/ Optional

Bruno Macaes, Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order (Hurst, 2018).

Movies

Wolf Warrior 2 (2017). Director: Wu Jing.

The Wandering Earth (2019). Director: Guo Fan.

Class 6 - US-China Tensions and Future Prospects

Required

Zhao Suisheng, “Engagement on the Defensive: From the Mismatched Grand Bargain to the Emerging US–China Rivalry,” Journal of Contemporary China 28/118 (2019), pp. 1-18.

Daniel Rosen, “A Post-Engagement US-China Relationship?” Rhodium Group (2018). https://rhg.com/research/post-engagement-us-china-relationship/

Mike Pompeo, Communist China and the Free World’s Future. Speech at the Nixon Foundation (2020) https://www.state.gov/communist-china-and-the-free-worlds-future/

Rising US-China Tensions series at the South China Morning Post (2020). https://series.scmp.com/rising-us-china-tensions/

Chen Dingding, “Why a US-China Détente Is Coming in 2021: The Failure of Trump’s Policy,” The Diplomat (2020). https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/why-a-us-china-detente-is-coming-in-2021-the-failure-of-trumps-policy/

The online lectures on Webex may be accessed through this link: https://unito.webex.com/meet/anastas.vangeli 

No registration required for students who want to attend the laboratory.

The laboratory has no maximum number of attending students.