ATS3940 Chinese cultural analysis

In this unit, students will conduct a project-based study of aspects of traditional and modern Chinese culture. It introduces students to the study of Chinese culture, focusing on the characteristics of traditional Chinese culture, the interaction between Chinese culture and other cultures, and the uses to which Chinese culture is put in the modern world. The unit will use a range of Chinese-language and English-language material, sourced from mainland China and internationally. The teaching schedule will consist of bi-weekly two-hour workshops in which students will read and view scholarly publications (in English and Chinese) about Chinese culture, combined with weekly two-hour seminars based on in-depth discussion of the lecture material as it applies to the topics assigned for individual projects. Students will read and analyse materials and commentaries relating to traditional and modern Chinese philosophy, art and literature and the social and political uses of Chinese culture in China and abroad, guided by the arguments, concepts and methods employed in the field of Chinese cultural studies. By introducing students to a wide range of scholarly materials about Chinese culture, this unit aims to strengthen their academic writing skills.