ATS3940 - Chinese cultural analysis - 2019

The unit is designed for students with advanced Chinese reading and writing skills. 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 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.

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:

1. analyse and discuss texts and objects relevant to Chinese culture;
2. explain the historical development of Chinese culture, and the social, political, cultural and economic contexts in which Chinese culture manifests itself in the Chinese-speaking world;
3. critically engage with Chinese cultural studies topics;
4. identify and apply theoretical frameworks and research methodologies to their reading and understanding of Chinese culture.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chinese studies