POLITICAL SCIENCE 175A GOVERNMENT & POLITICS OF CHINA SPRING

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1 POLITICAL SCIENCE 175A GOVERNMENT & POLITICS OF CHINA SPRING 2010 Professor Matthew Carlson T/R 1:00-2: Old Mill Lafayette L102 Office Hours: T 10:30-11:30, TH 3-5, and by appointment Matthew.Carlson@uvm.edu Course Description This course will examine the salient features of Chinese government and politics since The course will offer a review of major political changes in China, including the Communist Revolution, the Great Leap Forward, as well as some of the economic and political reforms initiated under the Deng Xiaoping era. The course will focus on party and government institutions, political processes, and international relations. The class will also incorporate several films and documentaries on mainland China and will provide an introduction to the political systems of Taiwan and Hong Kong. Learning objectives: 1) To develop a deeper understanding into major debates in the study of Chinese politics and comparative politics. 2) To learn about China s political system as well as study China s relations with the outside world. 3) To analyze current debates in the study of Chinese politics through written projects and classroom discussion. Reading Assignments The required readings for this class will be provided in electronic format (Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word files) and posted on Blackboard. If you experience problems opening any of the documents, please me early in the semester. Course Requirements and Evaluation 1) Assigned readings. The assigned readings for each week should be completed by the dates specified. Unlike other courses you have taken, I expect you to read every page of the assigned readings. Also, please note that I will only review some of the readings in class. 2) Participation in class discussions and debates. I take participation very seriously. The quality of your participation is more important than quantity. Your active participation will improve the quality of the class for yourself as well as your classmates. 3) Current events. Please follow current events related to China during the course of the semester (see Online Resources links for some suggestions). I will begin some classes with discussion of current events. I may also assign or bring copies of specific news stories to read and discuss in class. 4) Completion of three tests, three short reaction papers based on the debates, and a final written paper. See specific details following this page. 1

2 5) Attend class. If you skip class frequently, you will miss out on important announcements and information. If you miss a class, please do not ask me to send you my lecture notes or post them online. It is your responsibility to find out what you have missed. Students who miss a THIRD OR MORE of the class sessions risk a failing grade for the entire course. Please me if you have circumstances that cause you to miss multiple, consecutive classes. If you have a valid, documented reason (i.e. medical emergency or family crisis) for missing a significant amount of class, please also let me know as soon as possible. 6) Cell phones. If your cell phone rings (or emits music, vibrates or interrupts class in any way), you may be called on to answer all questions for the remainder of the class session and/or asked to bring cookies to class for everyone to enjoy. 7) Adherence to the Department of Political Science classroom protocol, which defines minimum standards of conduct to be included in all syllabi: a) Students are expected to attend and be prepared for ALL regularly scheduled classes. b) Students are expected to arrive on time and stay in class until the class period ends. If a student knows in advance that he/she will need to leave early, he/she should notify the instructor before the class period begins. c) Students are expected to treat faculty and fellow students with respect. For example, students must not disrupt class by leaving and reentering during class, must not distract class by making noise, and must be attentive to comments being made by the instructors and by peers. 10) Religious holidays and excused absence. Please be aware of UVM policy in this regard: Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work. 11) Additional course etiquette: A) Do not eat in class unless you bring food for everyone. You may bring beverages. B) Do not use class time to send s, text messages, surf the internet or play video games. It s rude. C) Do not talk or chat noisily with your neighbor while I am in lecture mode. If your chatting disrupts my focus, I will call on you and ask you to share your conversation with the entire class. D) Do not sleep in class and do not let others see you yawn. It s rude. 12. No cheating or plagiarism. All of your assignments for this class must be your own work. You are also required to properly cite information that you use in your assignments. Please see the statements on academic integrity at UVM here: [ I take cheating and plagiarism very seriously. If you are suspected of cheating or plagiarism, your case will be forwarded to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards and you will risk a failing grade for the entire course. 2

3 Basis for Course Grade and Key Dates to Remember Mark your calendars and notify me immediately if you have conflicts. Item % of final grade Test #1 (March 7) 20% Test #2 (April 8) 20% Debate participation & three reaction papers (see schedule for dates) 20% Paper (due 5/4) 20% Final Exam (May 14) 20% Note: I reserve excellent grades (A, A- and B+) for work that merits those unusual grades. The following table is designed with this in mind. GRADE EXPLANATION A Reserved for the most exceptional and outstanding work-- a rare grade A- Excellent work of an unusually strong quality B+ Excellent performance B Very good work B- Good work C+ Slightly better than average work-- commendable C Average work C- Worse than average D+ Poor work D Very poor work D- Very close to failing F Failing Debates The grading for the debates will be based on participation, attendance, and short reaction papers. The debates are scheduled on Thursdays and the reaction papers will generally be due on the following Tuesday. Note: There are a total of 6 debates and short reaction papers must be submitted for three of the weeks (due on the following Tuesday if debate is on Thursday). Length: Around 1-2 single-spaced pages. You may decide what weeks to skip. Each debate also offers opportunities to help lead the discussion (this will factor positively into the participation component although please be aware that there are limited slots for this opportunity). Tests The tests are based on readings, debates, lecture material, and films. A brief study guide will be provided but please note that it is your responsibility to review the material. The tests will typically be composed of three parts: 1) identification of terms with a few sentences, 2) identification of concepts and issues with a complete paragraph, and 3) essay questions. If you miss a test but have a written, valid excuse acceptable to the instructor (i.e. medical emergency or family crisis), a make-up will be scheduled at the end of the semester or at the instructor s discretion. 3

4 Paper The length of the paper should be at least 8 but no longer than 10 pages (with doublespaced 12 pt. font). In the paper, you are expected to present an argument, detail the pros and cons of the argument, and support your position. It is necessary that you select a narrow topic that you are interested in. A broad topic, for instance, might be family planning in China. This would not be acceptable because it is too broad. An example of a narrow topic might thus be the economic impact of China s one-child policy. Next it is helpful if you write a sentence that explains the pros and cons of this issue. For instance, some argue that the economic costs of the policy outweigh the benefits You will want to restate your topic in terms of a clear research question that can be answered with either a yes or no. Does the economic impact of China s one-child policy outweigh the proposed benefits? You should answer the question be detailing the pros and cons of the issue and then provide support for your position. Papers are due 5/4 in class. Late papers are penalized 5 points per 24-hour period. Please note that no papers will be accepted after 5/14. The grading for the paper is based on both content and form. Three questions are used: 1) How well does the paper follow the assignment instructions? 2) Is the organization of the paper clear (e.g., does it include a concise argument stated in the beginning, the development of the argument in the body, and a solid conclusion?) 3) How well is the argument supported using evidence from class and outside readings? Evidence can be quoted or paraphrased, but please be sure to provide the proper citation for each piece of evidence presented. Papers should avoid long quotes. Your paper should have at least five references (beyond what is assigned in class) and more than two internet sources. I will give out additional information on how to properly cite work later in the semester. Optional: If you complete a rough draft of your paper prior to Spring Recess, I am happy to look it over and offer constructive comments. If you are interested, please hand in a paper copy of your draft in class on Thursday 3/4. I will not look at rough drafts after this date, so please plan accordingly if this option is of interest. Some Online Resources South China Morning Post in Hong Kong: People's Daily, the official newspaper of the CCP: China Internet Information Center: Sina: China News Digest: Asia Wall Street Journal: Financial Times: The Economist: Asia Source: China Radio International: CNN Asia: BBC Asia-Pacific: 4

5 New York Times - Asia Pacific news: China Top News: Carter Center Village Elections: Embassy of PRC in D.C.: US Embassy in Beijing: Selected China/Asia and Political Science Journals Journal of Chinese Political Science, Modern China, Pacific Affairs, The China Journal, The China Quarterly, Asian Survey, Beijing Review, The China Journal, Harvard China Review, Journal of Asian Studies, Journal of Contemporary China, American Political Science Review, World Politics, International Security, International Organizations, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy Also, be sure to check the online databases through UVM as well as paper archives such as JSTOR ( COURSE SCHEDULE This schedule is subject to alteration. I will inform you of any changes. Week #1 (T 1/19 & R 1/21) Topics: Introduction to Chinese Politics 1) Tuesday: syllabus to be ed apologies for no class as instructor will be giving a talk in DC 2) Thursday: June Dreyer (2006), China s Political System: Modernization and Tradition, New York: Pearson Longman, pp and (pages 36 to 43 are optional reading). Week #2 (T 1/26 & R 1/28) Note: 2/1 is add/drop deadline. Topics: PRC Politics under Mao 1) Tuesday: June Dreyer (2006), China s Political System: Modernization and Tradition, New York: Pearson Longman, 25 pages (please skip over section entitled establishing the organs of power as this will be covered next week). 2) Thursday: Jasper Becker (1998), Hungry Ghosts: Mao s Secret Famine, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 28 pages. Week #3 (T 2/2 & R 2/4) Topics: PRC Politics under Mao and State/Party Institutions 1) Tuesday: Keith Schoppa, Death Dance: The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, in Revolution and Its Past, NJ: Pearson, pp ) Thursday: William Joseph, China, read sections 3 and 4 only, 24 pages and Dennis Hickey (2001), The Chinese Military, pages 69 to 89. Week #4 (T 2/9 & R 2/11) Topics: Economic Development and Environmental Concerns 1) Tuesday: Elizabeth Economy (2007), The Great Leap Backwards, Foreign Affairs, September, 14 pages. 5

6 2) Thursday: Peter Hessler (2003), Underwater, The New Yorker, July, 8 pages and statements from the Chinese Embassy Webpage on the Three Gorges Project, 10 pages. Tuesday: Short documentary film on the Three Gorges Dam. Debate #1 on Thursday: Do the benefits of rapid economic development outweigh the environmental costs? Do the benefits of the Three Gorges Project outweigh the costs? Week #5 (T 2/16 & R 2/18) Topics: Human Rights 1) Tuesday: Human Rights Watch (2008), Reporters Guide to Covering the Beijing Olympics, June, 23 pages. 2) Thursday: China Makes Historic Progress in Human Rights, published in China Daily, 5 pages and Executive Summary from Congressional-Executive Commission on China Annual Report 2009, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 22 pages. Debate #2 on Thursday: Is the concept of human rights culturally specific as the PRC states or is it universal as the US/UN proposes? Should economic and social welfare rights come before individual political rights? Week #6 (T 2/23 & R 2/25) Topics: Tibet and Xinjiang 1) Tuesday: Special Topic Paper: Tibet , Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 2009, 21 pages. 2) Thursday: Nicolas Becquelin (2004), Criminalizing Ethnicity: Political Repression in Xinjiang, Human Rights Forum, 8 pages. Week #7 (T 3/2 & R 3/4) Test #1 on 3/4!!! Optional rough draft of paper due 3/4. Topics: Women and Family Planning 1) Tuesday: Karen Hardee, Zhengming Xie, and Baochang Gu (2004), Family Planning and Women s Lives in Rural China, International Family Planning Perspectives, 30:2, 9 pages. Week #8 (T 3/9 & R 3/11) Spring Recess Week #9 (T 3/16 & R 3/18) Topics: Taiwan 1) Tuesday: John Tkacik (2003), Taiwan Politics and Leadership, in China in Transition, edited by Stephen Flanagan and Michael Marti, Washington D.C.: National Defense University Press, 16 pages. 2) Thursday: John Copper (2009), Foreign and Military Policies, in Taiwan: Nation- State or Province?, Westview Press, pages Debate #3 on Friday: Should and can Taiwan be reunified with mainland China? [reaction paper #3 due 10/20] 6

7 Week #10 (T 3/23 & R 3/25) Topics: Taiwan and Hong Kong 1) Tuesday: Political Development in Hong Kong since the 1980s, Research and Library Services Division, Legislative Council Secretariat, Hong Kong, 1996, pp. 1-9 and Margaret Thatcher (1993), The Downing Street Years, New York: Harper Collins, pp and pp ) Thursday: Geping Rao and Wang Zhenmin, Hong Kong s One Country, Two Systems Experience under the Basic Law, Journal of Contemporary China, pages Week #11 (T 3/30 & R 4/1) Topics: Prospects for Democracy 1) Tuesday: John Thornton (2008), Long Time Coming: The Prospects for Democracy in China Foreign Affairs, January/February, 14 pages. 2) Thursday: Robert A. Pastor and Qingshan Tan (2000), The Meaning of China's Village Elections, The China Quarterly, June, pp Short film on village elections in China this week. Debate #4 on Thursday: Can the CCP democratize (evolution) or will it take an overthrow of the regime (revolution)? How democratic are village elections in China? Week #12 (T 4/6 & R 4/8) Note: 4/6 is last day to withdraw. Test #2 on W 4/8!!! Week #13 (T 4/13 & R 4/15) Topics: China s Relations with Russia and Africa 1) Tuesday: Elizabeth Wishnick, Russia and China Asian Survey (2001), September/October, 25 pages. 2) Thursday: Ian Taylor (1998), China s Foreign Policy towards Africa in the 1990s Journal of Modern African Studies, 18 pages and David Zweig and Bi Jianhai (2005), China s Global Hunt for Energy, Foreign Affairs, September/October, 14 pages. Debate #5 on Thursday: Is Russia more of an ally or enemy of China? Is China actively helping the African nations through training and investment, or is China exploiting the region? Week #14 (T 4/20 & R 4/22) Topic: Sino-American Relations 1) Tuesday: Susan Shirk (2007), United States, in China: A Fragile Superpower, USA: Oxford University Press, pp ) Thursday: Robert Kaplan (1997), How We Would Fight China, Atlantic, 13 pages and Fareed Zakaria (2007), The Rise of a Fierce Yet Fragile Superpower, Newsweek, 3 pages. 7

8 Week #15 (T 4/27 & R 4/29) Topics: Sino-Japanese Relations 1) Tuesday: Susan Shirk (2007), Japan, in China: A Fragile Superpower, USA: Oxford University Press, 41 pages. 2) Thursday: James Reilly (2006), China s History Activism and Sino-Japanese Relations, China: An International Journal, September, 28 pages. Debate #6 on Friday: What are the causes of the strained relationship between China and Japan? Week #16 (T 5/4) Major class paper due 5/4!! + Final Exam: Scheduled by the Registrar s Office for Friday 5/14 from 8-11 AM in Lafayette L102. 8