Course description
This intensive seminar provides an in-depth analysis to contemporary Chinese politics. It starts with a historical background on different phases of reform from the 1980s until today. After learning about different approaches when studying Chinese politics, we focus on actors and institutions of the party-state at different administrational levels, the interplay of central and local actors, and diverse policy fields. We ask for essential actor constellations, institutional architectures, and regulatory preferences in different policy fields that drive Chinese politics. The course also deals with the politics of reforms, policy implementation, political legitimacy, democratization and political participation. Last not least, contemporary challenges such as environmental degradation, corruption, and inequality will be addressed.
Learning outcomes
By the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Have a good and nuanced understanding of politics in China; gain insights into the institutional structure and dynamics of the Chinese political system and emerging policy issues;
- Analyze the interplay of political structures, institutions and societal actors and how these influence Chinese politics and shape modernization;
- Apply different theoretical perspectives to Chinese politics and critically evaluate them.
Course policies
Responsibility
Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent. Late papers, failure to com-plete the readings assigned for class discussion, and lack of preparedness for in-class discussions and presentations will jeopardize your successful completion of this course. All required readings will be made available via moodle. Further reading will be made available to presenters and interested students.
Participation
Class participation is an essential part of class and includes: keeping up with reading, contributing meaningfully to class discussions, and coming to class regularly, prepared and on time.
Presentation and paper
A very important part of this intensive seminar, which is separated into four days, is the presenta-tion of one of the texts (“Required reading”) provided in the course outline and the subsequent writing of a paper. The presentation of the text shall include a summary of main arguments as well as its critical discussion. The paper, 15 pages, on a subject mutually agreed upon by the student and instructor, shall also include a more comprehensive discussion of alternative arguments.
Please contact me via moodle in order to indicate which text you would like to present.
Final grade calculation
Active participation 20 %
Presentation and paper 80 % (60 % paper)
TOTAL 100 %
Course outline
Day 1: June 11, 2015
12.15am – 1.45pm The Post-Maoist era – A short history
Required reading: Gilley 2010
Further reading: Saich 2011: 67-107, Dittmer/Liu 2006
2.00pm – 3.30pm Theories I: Elite Politics, Political Culture, State-Society Relations ...
– Approaches to the study of Chinese politics
Required reading: Joseph 2010a
Further reading: Stark/Nee 1989, Fligstein/Zhang 2011
3.45pm – 5.00pm Theories II: Chinese Studies and Comparative Politics
Required reading: Kennedy 2011a
Further reading: Caramani 2011, ten Brink 2015
5.15pm – 6.45pm The Chinese Communist Party and political legitimacy
Required reading: Li 2010
Further reading: Godwin 1999, Shambaugh 2009, Zheng 2010
Day 2: June 12, 2015
10.15am – 11.45am Governance at the central level: Actors and institutions
Required reading: Saich 2011: 142-178
Further reading: Howell 2004, Yang 2004
12.45pm – 2.15pm Governance beyond the centre: Actors and institutions
Required reading: Saich 2011: 179-209
Further reading: Oi 1995, Montinola et al. 1995, Yang 2004
2.30pm – 4pm Adaptive governance, policy experimentation and planning
Required reading: Heilmann 2011
Further reading: Heilmann/Perry 2011, Pearson 2011, Joseph 2010b
4.15pm – 5.45pm Pluralization of high-level politics? A comparative perspective
Required reading: Kennedy 2011b
Further reading: Fewsmith 1999, He 2006
Day 3: July 10, 2015
10.15am – 11.45am Political participation and protest in rural and urban China
Required reading: Saich 2011: 210-240
Further reading: Heberer 2009; Wright 2010, Kennedy 2010
12.45pm – 2.15pm Policy fields I: Economic policy and crises management
Required reading: Schmidt/Heilmann 2010
Further reading: Dahlman 2009, ten Brink 2013
2.30pm – 4pm Policy fields II: Labor and social policy
Required reading: Friedman/Lee 2010
Further reading: Frazier 2011, Lüthje 2012
4.15pm – 5.45pm Policy fields III: Foreign policy, the “Chinese Dream”, and nationalism
Required reading: Saich 2011: 336-363
Further reading: Breslin 2010, Dittmer/Yu 2010, Heberer 2014
Day 4: July 11, 2015
10.15am – 11.45am The CCP, entrepreneurs, and democracy
Required reading: Dickson 2007
Further reading: Tsai 2011, Rowen 2007
12.45pm – 2.15pm China’s contemporary challenges I: Environmental degradation, corruption, inequality
Required reading: Saich 2011: 364-391
Further reading: Wedeman 2004, Pei 2009, ten Brink 2013
2.30pm – 4pm China’s contemporary challenges II: The official view
Required reading: Li 2015
Further reading: Heberer 2015, Newspaper articles (tbc)
4.15pm – 5.45pm Final discussion and course evaluation
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