Outline

Overview

The history of the People's Republic of China comprises two periods. In the Maoist era (1949-1978), the Communist-led government attempted to build a centrally planned, socialist society in which politics dominated people's daily lives. In the post-Mao era (since 1978), by contrast, the socialist institutions have largely been dismantled in pursuit of a market-based alternative. This unit of study explores key social, political, cultural and economic features of both periods and analyses the problems and paradoxes of transition.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Asian Studies
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level from Asian Studies or Japanese Studies or Korean Studies or Chinese Studies or Indonesian Studies or Sanskrit or History or Ancient History
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Students with no prior knowledge of modern Chinese history are encouraged to read an introductory textbook (e.g., Edwin E. Moise. Modern China: A History. Second edition. Longman, 1994) before the start of the semester
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sean Moores, sean.moores@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Sean Moores, sean.moores@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Oral presentation see Canvas	15%	Ongoing	equivalent of 750wds
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Participation participation in class discussions, activities etc.	10%	Ongoing	every tutorial
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Short Essay essay proposal	15%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2024 at 23:59	750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	test test (in last lecture)	20%	Week 13	equivalent of 1000wds
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Essay see Canvas	40%	Week 13 Due date: 26 May 2024 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	The Origins of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	The Establishment of the PRC and the Beginning of Transformation (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	What were the main challenges facing the new state in 1949?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	The Establishment of the PRC and the Beginning of Transformation (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	What were the key implications of the Soviet Model?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	International Relations in the Early Years of the PRC	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	How would you describe China’s international situation in the 1950s?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Political Campaigns in the 1950s	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	What was the logic behind these various campaigns?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	The Great Leap Forward: Origins and Consequences (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Why did the Great Leap Forward occur?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	The Great Leap Forward: Origins and Consequences (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	What were the main consequences of the Great Leap Forward?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	The Cultural Revolution (I): Origins and Opening Salvos	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	What do the initial phases of the Cultural Revolution tell us about the political, ideological and social tensions in China at the time?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	The Cultural Revolution (II): The Deepening of Chaos	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	How can we explain such a degree of violence and chaos?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	The Cultural Revolution (III): Reorganising Power	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	How can we interpret the return to a certain degree of “order”?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	The End of the Maoist Era	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Mao's Legacy	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Reform in China (I): Changes in Paradigm, and Structural Transformation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	How can we describe the change of paradigm developed by Deng Xiaoping?	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Reform in China (II): Development and Limits of a New Model	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	How can we describe the development and limits of the new model?	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance is compulsory for all of the lectures and tutorials. The register will be called in each lecture and tutorial.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Meisner, Maurice. Mao's China and After: A History of the People's Republic, (third edition), New York: Free Press, 1999.

Required reading (to be done before each tutorial):

Week 1: Meisner, pp.3-51.

Week 2: Meisner, pp.55-89.

Mao Tzetung. “The People's Democratic Dictatorship”, in The China Weekly Review (1923-1950), July, 1949, pp.131- 134. https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/docview/1371524503?accountid=14757

Week 3: Meisner, pp.90-128

Week 4: Nakajima, M., “Foreign relations: From the Korean War to the Bandung Line”, Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank

(eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 14, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987, pp. 259-290. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-history-of-china/8016F7C8F10B7896679E6489C9C62C52

Week 5: Meisner, pp.155-190

Week 6: Meisner, pp.129-152.

Week 7: Meisner, pp. 191-241.

Week 8: Meisner, pp.245-288.

Week 9: Meisner, pp.291-351.

Week 10: Meisner, pp.352-392.

Week 11: Meisner, pp.392-448.

Week 12: Meisner, pp.449-513.

Week 13: Meisner, pp.514-548.

Additional recommended reading:

Hsü, Immanuel C. Y., The Rise of Modern China (6th ed.), New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Spence, Jonathan D., The Search for Modern China (3rd ed.), New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013.

(Both of these are very comprehensive and useful.)

Online resources:

Students are encouraged to read the excellent and authoritative The Cambridge History of China, the chapters of which are available online. Of particular interest for this unit are the following chapters:

Teiwes, Frederick C., “Establishment and consolidation of the new regime”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 14, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987, pp. 49-143.

Lardy, Nicholas R., “Economic recovery and the 1st Five-Year Plan”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 14, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987, pp. 144-183.

Goldman, Merle, “The Party and the intellectuals”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 14, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987, pp. 218-258.

Lieberthal, Kenneth, “The Great Leap Forward and the split in the Yenan leadership”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 14, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987, pp. 291-359.

Schram, Stuart R., “Mao Tse-tung's thought from 1949 to 1976”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 15. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991, pp. 1-104.

MacFarquhar, Roderick, “The succession to Mao and the end of Maoism”, in Roderick MacFarquhar and John K. Fairbank (eds.), The Cambridge History of China, 1st ed. Vol. 15. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991, pp. 303-401.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. have a better understanding of the origins and historical developments of the People's Republic of China (PRC)
LO2. have a better understanding of key social, ideological, political, geopolitical and economic factors which have informed the history of the PRC
LO3. approach key issues in an objective and structured manner
LO4. develop a capacity for critical thinking
LO5. clearly express your ideas in correct English in both written and oral assignments

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

A unit of study is something which develops and grows from year to year, and student feedback is a very important element of this process. It has been used in this unit as a reference to continually update the lecture contents and tutorial activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

ASNS2618: Remaking Chinese Society, 1949-Present

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect