Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Option: In Search of Wealth and Power: China since 1800
School	History and Cultures
Department	History
Module Code	09 38817
Module Lead	Shirley Ye
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	Today China is the world's leading economic power. Yet a century ago, China was 'the sick man of Asia,' teetering at the edge of political collapse. We start at the height of unprecedented expansion in population, economy, and territory for the Qing empire. We analyse how war, civil unrest, and economic and environmental pressures combined to unravel two millenia of imperial rule. After 1911, the young republic experimented with different modes of politics and culture. War and revolution helped bring the Communists to power, and we examine how visions for the national economy were attempted with devastating consequences. While our module is structured by political events, we discuss persistent themes in Chinese history. Can China's struggle for modernity draw on tradition? We explore primary sources to understand history through the writings of those who lived it, and consider the debates and controversies surrounding the public memory of China's modern past.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Analyse and explain key events and historical processes relevant to the subject under scrutiny. Analyse and explain reasons for and implications of these events and processes. Identify the main scholarly views on the subject under investigation. Work with an appropriate degree of learner independence to explain and analyse the material under scrutiny. Communicate explanation and analysis of the subject clearly and effectively in writing.
Assessment	38817-01 : 3,000 word essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: S1 = 1 x 3,000 word essay (100%)
Other
Reading List