ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA SCHOOLS

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE NUMBER: CHN 24

TITLE: CHINESE SOCIETY
DEPARTMENT: CHINESE STUDIES PROGRAM
SCHOOL: SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
SEMESTER AND SCHOOL YEAR: 1st SEMESTER, 2014 - 2015
NUMBER OF UNITS: 3 Units
FACULTY: SIDNEY CHRISTOPHER BATA
EMAIL ADDRESS: sidney368@gmail.com
SCHEDULE & VENUE: MWF 1:30 to 2:30PM, BEL 311

A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines the complexities of social issues in contemporary China. Starting from
people’s everyday life, it approaches Chinese culture and social issues through the lenses of
globalization and modernization. It also introduces theoretical tools to explore the state’s one-
child policies, rural/urban division, and health care system in urban China. The course also
explores what counts as a better life to Chinese people and how they have been pursing it over the
past thirty something years.

B. LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. The students will be familiarized with a number of relevant topics and issues in contemporary
Chinese society.
2. The students will be able to grasp the social and cultural underlining of China’s unique path
and present-day situation.
3. The students will be acquainted with an array of key conceptual tools that will be introduced
and covered throughout the whole semester.

C. COURSE OUTLINE

Week Topics
1) Course overview and course requirements
1 - Introduction to Chinese culture & society
2) Overview on Geography of China
1) 56 ethnic groups in the Mainland
2
2) National traditional holidays & its customs
1) State religions in China
3
- - 2) Folk religions in China
1) Chinese Language ‘Putonghua’
4
2) Chinese Characters & ‘Pinyin’
5 1) Post-Mao era government
1) Mega cities (1) - Beijing
6
2) Mega cities (2) - Shanghai, Guangzhou
1) Chinese cuisines
7
2) Film viewing “Queen of Cooking”
8 1) Birth Policies and the effects of the One-birth Policy
9 1) Hukou and effects of the Household registration
 1) Autonomous Regions (1)
10
2) Autonomous Regions (2)
1) Overseas Chinese
11
2) Chinese Migration
12 1) Relationship between China and the Philippines
Final presentation, Feedback and Q & A Discussions
- Students are required to prepare for their own individual
presentations.
13, 14 - The presentations will be about topics related to Chinese
society and student need to choose their own topic.
- After all the presentations, students will have a short
discussion and Q&A session with the whole class.
15, 16 Final Examination and Final paper consulting

D. REQUIRED READINGS
Pletcher, K., The Geography of China: Sacred and Historic Places, Britannica Educational
Publishing, 2011
Cannon, T., The Geography of Contemporary China: The Impact of Deng Xiaoping’s Decade,
Taylor and Francis e-library, 2003
Boland-Crewe, T., The Territories of the People’s Republic of China, Taylor and Francis e-
library, 2005
Fulong Wu, Chris Webster, Shenjing He and Yuting Liu, “Urban Poverty in China”, Edward
Elgar Publishing Limited, 2010
Logan, J., Urban China in Transition, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2008
Zheng Qian, China’s Ethnic Groups and Religions, Cengage Learning Asia Ltd, 2011
Zai Liang, Zhongdong Ma , China's Floating Population: New Evidence from the 2000 Census,
Population and Development Review, 2004
Kam Wing Chan, Buckingham, W., Is China Abolishing the Hukou System?, The China
Quarterly, 2008
Fei Ling Wang, Organizing Through Division and Exclusion, Stanford University Press, 2005
Hongbin Li, Junjian Yi and Junsen Zhang, Estimating the Effect of the One-Child Policy on the
Sex Ratio Imbalance in China: Identification Based on the Difference-in-Differences, Springer,
2011
Cameron, L, Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L. and X. Meng, Little Emperors: Behavioral Impacts of
China's One-Child Policy, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2013
Jing, Y, The One Child Policy Needs an Overhaul, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,
Wiley, 2013
Horner, C, Rising China and Its Postmodern Fate, University of Georgia Press, 2010
Yeh, A, Global Urbanization Chapter 5: Urban Growth and Spatial Development: The China
Case, University of Pennsylvania, 2011
Zongming Wang and Jing Ming Chen, A Greener Future for China's Cities, American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 2010

E. SUGGESTED READINGS
China Analysis, Special Issue: One or two Chinese models, 2011.
Huang, P. C. C., "Chongqing: Equitable development driven by a third hand",
Modern China, 2011.
Dickson, B., “Integrating wealth and power in China: The Communist Party’s embrace of the
private sector”, China Quarterly, 2007.
Lin Li-wen and Milhaupt, C. J., “We are the (National) Champions: Understanding the
mechanisms of state capitalism in China”, Columbia University School of Law Working Paper,
2011.
Li Shi and Zhao Renwei, “Market reform and the widening of the income gap”, Social
Sciences in China, 2011.
F. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Class attendance is required. Participation in class discussions is essential.
2. Write take-home papers.
3. Presentation of papers.
4. Final examination

G. GRADING SYSTEM
Recitation/ Attendance 15%
Assignments 45%
Mini-Presentation 10%
Final Paper Presentation 15%
Final examination 15%
Total 100%

Letter Grade Equivalence % Equivalence

A 92% - 100%
B+ 87% - 91%
B 83% - 86%
C+ 79% - 82%
C 75% - 78%
D 70% - 74%
F below 70%

H. CLASSROOM POLICIES
1. A student who arrives five (5) minutes after the second bell is considered late. Two (2)
recorded tardiness is considered an absence.
2. No special quizzes or make-up tests will be given to those who missed them due to tardiness
or cuts, except in case of long absence due to illness. See Magna Carta.
3. Cellular phones need to be put in silent mode.
4. Homework/papers submitted late will not be accepted.

I. CONSULTATION HOURS
15:00 to 17:00 daily, Chinese Studies Program office, second floor, Ricardo and Dr. Rosita
Leong Hall