Modern China 41112            

Fall 2003

MWF 8-8:50 a.m.

Dr Leslie Heaphy

Room 217

 

Office: 310D

Office Hours:  MW 9-10 a.m., W 1-2 p.m. and 3:30-4:30, TR 12:30-1:30 or by appointment

Contacts:  244-3304 or e-mail at Lheaphy@stark.kent.edu

 

Course Description

This course will explore the course of China’s history during the twentieth century.  The exploration will begin with the Boxer Rebellion and move through the major events that followed.  This will include such topics as World War I and II, the Rise and Fall of the KMT, the Rise of the CCP, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen Square and many others.  We will explore these topics through lecture, discussion, group projects and films.

 

Course Objectives

1.      To give students a greater understanding of the modern history of China

2.      To help students improve their knowledge of the role of China in the world

3.      To encourage students to look for connections between the past and present

4.      To introduce students to the methodology of history through a research project

5.      To develop students ability to communicate in written and spoken formats through discussions and various writing assignments

6.      To help students gain a greater appreciation for different world views

7.      To help students develop their critical thinking skills

8.      To encourage students to pay more attention to the news of the day

 

 

Required Texts

Jonathan D. Spence   The Search for Modern China  W. W. Norton and Co.,

 

Shaun Breslin                Mao, Profiles in Power           Longman

           

Jan Wong                     Red China Blues          Anchor Books

           

And Class Handouts.

 

Course Assignments

Research Project

            Topic………………………………………………….. 5 points

            Outline and thesis…………………………………….. 10 points

            Rough Draft…………………………………………….35 points

            Annotations…………………………………………….10 points

            Final Project……………………………………………100 points

            Power point Presentation ………………………………30 points

Exams (2)…………………………………………………….. 100 points each (200 total)

Map Quiz ………………………………………………………20 points

Class Participation……………………………………………...30 points

Reader Response Questions…………………………………….30 points

Current Events Assignment……………………………………..30 points

                                                                                                                        500 total

Grading Scale

A                     90-100                         (Excellent Scholarship)  450-500

B                      80-89                           (above avg. scholarship)           400-449

C                     70-79                           (avg. scholarship)                      350-399

D                     60-69                           (Below avg. scholarship)           300-349

F                      Below 60                     (Failing)                                    Below 300

 

Attendance

Students are expected to attend class each week.  Having more than three unexcused absences will result in a failing grade for this class.  Students are responsible for the material covered on the days they are not there and for getting assignments turned in on time.

 

Students with Disabilities

In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course; please contact Kelly Kulick in Student Services to submit documentation.  Then you must contact the instructor so they are aware of any required accommodations.

 

Academic Honesty

All work that students hand in is expected to be their own.  Failure to do so is plagiarism and students could be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the "Cheating and Plagiarism" section of the University's Digest of Rules and Regulations.  Your instructor may use software to identify portions of papers which have been copied from websites.

 

Writing Center

Located in Main Hall, Room 202, the Writing Center offers students help and instruction on any writing assignments in this class or any other.  They offer tutorials, handouts and brochures, and information on their website:  www.stark.kent.edu/writing.  There is no cost to use this service.

           

Testing Center

The Testing Center is located in the lower level of the Stark Campus library.  Call ext. 53332 for hours and other information.

 

Library Services

For help with research related questions students can call the library (ext. 53330) or email us at refdesk@stark.kent.edu to set up an individualized instructional

session with one of our four librarians.  Students are not required

to schedule an appointment, they can just come in at any time. 

However, if we have advance notice we can prepare for the student's

visit and more efficiently address their needs.

 

Finally, for students unable to come into the library, OhioLINK now

offers online, real-time assistance in the form of a Chat Reference

service.  Students can connect with an OhioLINK librarian (not always

a KSU librarian) from off-campus (http://chat.ohiolink.edu) and

engage in a chat session to assist them with the use of the many

online services available to them from home.

 

Campus Theme

This Year’s Campus Theme is Globalization.  The purpose behind the campus theme is to help students see connections in their education from course to course as well as seeing how different disciplines can examine the same ideas.  A common text called Globalization: A Very Short Introduction is available for those interested in reading more about this idea and what it means for our daily lives in the twenty-first century.

 

Course Outline

            All readings should be done prior to class so that students are prepared to participate.  Schedule is tentative and subject to change during the course of the semester.  Students will be kept informed of reading assignments.  The instructor reserves the right to add pop quizzes if it become apparent that students are not keeping up with the reading.

 

Week 1                        Background and the Boxer Rebellion

                                                Spence p. 165-244

Week 2                        The Fall of the Last Dynasty

                                                Spence p. 245-268

Week 3                        The Republic and War

                                                Spence p. 269-333

                                                Topics Due 9/10

Week 4                        The Warlord Period

                                                Spence p. 334-360

Week 5                        The KMT and CCP

                                                Spence p. 361-402; Mao, Profiles in Power chapter 1 and 2

Week 6                        The Coming of World War II

                                                Spence p. 403-434

                                                Annotations Due 10/3

Week 7                        China and the War

                                                Spence p. 435-483

Week 8                        Civil War and Triumph of CCP

                                                Spence p. 484-513

                                                Midterm Due 10/17

Week 9                        Mao’s Rise to Power

                                                Spence p. 514-573; Finish Mao, Profiles in Power

Week 10                      Great Leap Forward                                        

Spence p. 574-618

Outline and Thesis due 10/31

Week 11                      Cultural Revolution

                                                Read Red China Blues

Week 12                      Cultural Revolution and its demise

                                                Read Red China Blues and Spence p. 619-627

                                                Rough Draft due 11/14

Week 13                      The Fall of Mao

                                                Spence p. 627-682

Week 14                      Shifting Government

                                                Spence p. 683-711

                                                Current Events Due 11/24

Week 15                      Tiananmen Square and Hong Kong

                                                Spence p. 712-747

                                                Research papers due 12/5

Week 16                      Final Exam—Monday, Dec. 8th at 8 a.m.

 

Exams

Students will complete two take-home exams during the semester.  There will be no late exams accepted.  Further directions will be handed out with the questions during the semester.  Questions will be given out about three weeks before the due date.

 

Map Quiz

Students will complete one quiz in class.  A review sheet with places to be identified will be handed out ahead of time.  If a student misses the quiz they will have one week to make it up.  The map quiz is scheduled for August 29th.  All make-ups will be taken in the testing center.  This is an automatic make-up so students can simply go to the Testing Center and take the quiz.  If it is not made up within one week the student will receive a zero.  All make-ups will be different from the in-class map quiz and may include things not on the review sheet.

 

Participation

This class requires that students participate in discussions and small group projects.  Failure to do so will result in a lowering of the student’s grade.  There will be periodic in-class assignments given that count towards class participation.  Since these are in-class assignments they cannot be made up.  This is where a student can be hurt by lack of attendance. 

 

Reader Response Questions

Each student will be expected to answer questions that are handed out related to their readings for the class.  These will done throughout the semester with point totals depending on the number of questions to be answered.

 

Current Events Assignment

Each student will complete a short assignment due on November 24th.  Students must find one example of a resource discussing China and its situation since 1990.  Students can use articles, books, videos, magazines, news programs etc as their resource.  In a 2 page paper students need to explain what this resource reveals about China’s present situation and how this either connects or breaks with China’s past.  Students must turn in the resource as well so the instructor can read or view the material.  All materials will be returned to the student.

 

Research Project

Each student will complete a research paper of 18-20 pages, typed and double-spaced.  Title page and any appendices or photos will not be included in that number.  The topic will be the choice of the student with all topics being approved by the instructor by September 10th.  In choosing a topic students should look for something that interests them and do some preliminary research to see what materials will be available to them for researching their topics.  We will be visiting the library on the 10th so that students can get some ideas about good places to look for sources.

After having their topics approved students will begin to gather their research materials.  Students will be expected to have at least 6 sources for their projects and no more than two can be internet sources and no Encyclopedias will be counted as sources.  Annotations of three of their sources are due on October 3rd.  Samples will be handed out in class. 

An outline and thesis statement for the paper are due on October 31st.  Students are expected to have the full paper outlined explaining what it is they are doing and how they intend to support their thesis.

A rough draft of the paper is due on November 14th-this should consist of at least 2/3 of the paper, typed.  The final 1/3 can simply be outlined. 

Final papers will be due the last day of class, Dec. 5th.  Since they are due the last day no late papers will be accepted.  Along with the final papers students will give a power point presentation to the class during the last two days or during exam week.  A sign-up sheet will be passed out in class.  Failure to complete all parts of the project will result in a failing grade for the complete project.

Students need to be sure to properly cite all materials in their paper to avoid plagiarism.  All citations must be made using Chicago Manual of Style.  Students can use either footnotes or endnotes and must also include a bibliography for their papers.  Examples of this style will be handed out.

 

Power point Presentation

Each student will give a ten minute presentation to the class about their projects.  The power point slides must include a title slide, a bibliographic slide and a thesis slide.  The other slides are the student’s choice.  These can be text, images, sound or any combination.  Students need to work on their timing for their presentation since they will only have ten minutes and will be penalized for not being able to get their main points across in that time frame. 

Student will be graded on:

  • Title slide
  • Bibliographic slide
  • Thesis
  • Organization
  • Use of visuals
  • Timing
  • Clarity and support

 

 

Possible Research Topics

Boxer Rebellion                        Empress Dowager                    Mao

CCP                                        KMT                                       Tiananmen Square

Gang of 4                                 Nanjing Massacre                     Tibetan Question

Hong Kong                              Taiwan                                     Relations with Japan

Relations with USSR                Relations with US                     Chinese Music

Chinese Theater                        Chinese Literature                     Chinese sports

Baseball in Taiwan                    Great Leap Forward                 Cultural Revolution

Religion                                    Neo-confucianism                     Economic policies

May 4th Movement                   Warlords                                  Human Rights Issues

Daily Life                                  Peasant uprisings