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STORIA E ISTITUZIONI DELL'ASIA
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Dati Generali
Periodo di attività
Syllabus
Obiettivi Formativi
By the end of the course, students:
1. will have a solid knowledge of the politics of contemporary China, the current and past ideologies of the Chinese Communist Party, and the key questions and policies in the governance of the People’s Republic of China
2. will be aware that to understand the politics of contemporary China it is necessary to consider the political, ideological, temporal and spatial context of the country. That sensitivity to the context of any given country is merely an analytical stance. Sensitivity to context does not and should not involve any value judgement (positive or negative) about the country under observation.
3. will be aware of the factors that have led and still lead to the existence of often widely divergent narrations, interpretations and perceptions of Chinese politics
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
By the end of this course students:
1. will be able to perform simple qualitative analyses of policy in the PRC
2. will be able to use their knowledge of the politics of China to enrich their arguments and the knowledge acquired through attendance of other courses
3. will be able to evaluate domestic and international accounts of Chinese politics, coming to their own judgement as to their accuracy and reliability
4. will be able to undertake a course of post-graduate studies either in Italy or overseas
Autonomy of judgement
By the end of this course students:
1. will be able to compare very divergent accounts of the same institution or policy and evaluate them, arriving at their own opinion
2. will be able to identify domestic and international narratives and representations of the politics of the People’s Republic of China inspired by different goals, approaches and ideologies
Communication skills
By the end of the course the students:
1. will be able to take part to discussions on controversial or highly divisive issues by supporting their point of view through a calm and reasoned argument, formed on the basis of their own beliefs and readings
2. will be able to listen to the reasons of those who hold very different points of view, arriving at their own evaluation and expressing their opinion in a manner that respects the opinion of others
3. will be able to communicate in a clear and well-organized way, using a linguistic register appropriate to the academic context.
Prerequisiti
Knowledge of the history of modern and contemporary China and of Mandarin Chinese are desirable, but not mandatory.
Metodi didattici
Frontal lectures, seminars, and in-class activities.
Verifica Apprendimento
For attending students: the evaluation of individual progress aims to verify, through a continous assessment examination:
- Knowledge of the PRC political system, its main actors, and its dynamics. This knowledge will be assessed: 1) through the quality of class participation and the ability to discuss the topics covered during the course; 2) through a midterm test consisting of multiple-choice questions.
- The ability to critically assess sources and information. This ability will be evaluated during the second part of the course, through the discussion of various types of sources.
- The ability to analyze a real-world case study. This will be assessed during the third part of the course, through an in-class presentation based on individual or group research.
For non-attending students: assessment will be based on an oral exam, conducted in English, aimed at verifying:
- Knowledge of the PRC political system, its main actors, and its dynamics
- The ability to critically assess sources and information
- The ability to critically evaluate a real-world case study
Testi
FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS:
1. William A. Jones (ed), Politics in China. An Introduction. Third Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019.
2. Steve Tsang, Olivia Cheung, The Political Thought of Xi Jinping. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024.
3.Steven M. Goldstein, China and Taiwan. Cambridge and Malden: Polity Press, 2015.
4.Chapters 13, 33, 47, 49 Christian Sorace, Ivan Franceschini, Nicholas Loubere (eds), Afterlives of Chinese Communism. Political Concepts from Mao to Xi. London and New York: Verso, 2019.
FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:
1. William A. Jones (ed), Politics in China. An Introduction. Third Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019.
2. Steve Tsang, Olivia Cheung, The Political Thought of Xi Jinping. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024.
3. Steven M. Goldstein, China and Taiwan. Cambridge and Malden: Polity Press, 2015.
4.Chapters 13, 33, 47, 49 Christian Sorace, Ivan Franceschini, Nicholas Loubere (eds), Afterlives of Chinese Communism. Political Concepts from Mao to Xi. London and New York: Verso, 2019.
Contenuti
The course focuses on the governance of the People’s Republic of China and is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the main actors, institutions, dynamics, and policy areas of governance in the PRC. The second part is devoted to a case study on tensions in the Taiwan Strait, with particular attention to historical legacies, the perspectives of the actors involved, and the role of Taiwan’s identity in shaping cross-strait relations. The third part introduces students to the main qualitative methods and sources used to research politics and policy in contemporary China.
The first part of the course examines the political development of the People’s Republic of China after 1978, the emergence of the “New Era” of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and the functioning of the Chinese party-state. It analyzes the Chinese Communist Party, the state apparatus, centre-province relations, state-society relations, elite politics, nationalism, propaganda, and key policy areas such as urbanization, ethnic policy, and foreign policy. This section concludes with a mid-term examination.
The second part of the course focuses on the Taiwan Strait as a real-world case study. Students will analyze the historical legacies of the Taiwan issue, different perspectives on Taiwan, the policies of the People’s Republic of China towards Taiwan, Taiwan’s policy towards the PRC, and the role of the United States and the European Union. Particular attention will be devoted to Taiwan’s identity and its impact on cross-strait relations.
The third part of the course introduces students to research practices in the field of China studies. It addresses the main sources for researching policy in the People’s Republic of China, research strategies and methods, source evaluation, and the interpretation of political and policy documents. The course concludes with a final wrap-up session aimed at revisiting the course goals, summarizing key concepts, and connecting the different themes discussed throughout the semester.
Lingua Insegnamento
English
Altre informazioni
The course combines lectures, student seminars, guided discussion, and practical research activities. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to participate actively, especially during the seminar sessions devoted to the Taiwan Strait case study and to research methods in China studies.
Teaching activities will encourage students to connect theoretical concepts with concrete policy issues and real-world political developments. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of institutions, political discourse, policy documents, and the interaction between domestic governance and international dynamics.
Students may be asked to read selected materials before class, discuss sources collectively, prepare short presentations, and take part in classroom activities. The seminar component is designed to develop students’ ability to formulate research questions, identify reliable sources, evaluate evidence, and interpret political and policy texts critically.
Additional teaching materials, including slides, readings, documents, datasets, policy texts, and other resources, may be provided during the course through the channels indicated by the instructor. The detailed schedule and specific readings may be adjusted during the semester according to teaching needs and current developments relevant to the course topics.