Module overview
Few nations had a more dramatic experience of the twentieth century than China. Over the course of this module you will learn about the tumultuous political events of the era - from the fall of the once mighty Qing empire to China’s descent into chaos during the era of warlord misrule, the Second World War in East Asia, to the rise of the Communist Party under Mao Zedong, to the resurgence of China as a major world power. We will read about key figures such as Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek, and we will look at a broad range of texts, including political texts, memoirs of ordinary people and propaganda posters.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Manage your time
- Develop the effectiveness of your writing
- Communicate in writing your research findings convincingly in concise form
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The major political events that have shaped the history of twentieth century China
- English language primary source materials relating to modern Chinese history
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Make good use of library facilities and related on-line collections
- Employ your research skills to develop understanding of the topic
- Understand the relationship between primary sources and secondary literature, and the ways in which historians and those in related disciplines present their arguments
Syllabus
Topics typically include
The Qing Dynasty and the Revolution of 1911
The May Fourth Movement and the foundation of the Chinese Communist Party
The Second World War in China and the civil war between Nationalist Party and Communist Party (1945-49)
The Mao Zedong Era
The Economic Opening Reforms and the student protests of 1989
China since 1989
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include:
lectures
seminars
workshops
Learning methods include
Preparatory reading, including library work and individual research, prior to each class
Studying primary and secondary source material
Participation in class discussion
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 12 |
| Completion of assessment task | 100 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 72 |
| Lecture | 12 |
| Follow-up work | 92 |
| Seminar | 12 |
| Total study time | 300 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Ralph Thaxton (2008). Catastrophe and Contention in Rural China: Mao's Great Leap Forward Famine and the Origins of Righteous Resistance in Da Fo Village .
Rana Mitter (2013). China's War with Japan, 1937-1945 : The Struggle for Survival (also available as Forgotten Ally: China's World War II) .
Spence, Jonathan (1999). The Search for Modern China .
De Bary, William (2000). Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 Through the Twentieth Century .
Van de Ven, Hans (2003). War and Nationalism in China, 1925–1945.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Written assignment | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 50% |
| Essay | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External