Students

CHIN301 – Social Issues in China Today

2018 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kevin Carrico
Contact via Email
Australian Hearing Hub, 2nd floor
Monday, 2-4pm
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
As China plays an increasingly important role in global affairs, graduates of the Chinese program, as well as graduates from other programs and departments, need to be familiar with the most pressing issues in contemporary Chinese culture and society. Learners also need to be familiar with the theories through which scholars analyze these issues, and the resulting diversity of opinions on these issues, so that they can make informed comments and decisions in their future careers. This unit will draw upon the rich English-language sociological and anthropological literature on contemporary China. There will be a focus upon not only understanding local social issues, such as contentious politics, the environment, ethnic relations, and urbanization, but also thinking through these issues in a broader comparative perspective. The knowledge provided in this course will be of use to graduates in whichever careers they pursue, whether in Australia or China or elsewhere in the world.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of Chinese culture and society
  • Demonstrate understanding of and critical perspectives toward contemporary social and cultural theory
  • Able to discuss and evaluate concepts, themes, and theoretical perspectives on contemporary Chinese culture and society
  • Demonstrate capacity for analytical and critical thinking
  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

General Assessment Information

Indicative examples of assessment tasks will be available on iLearn.

Late Assessment Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research proposal 20% No Week 7
Research paper 30% No Week 13
Reading responses 15% No Before Week 7 and Week 13
In-class presentation 15% No Throughout semester
Active participation 20% No Throughout semester

Research proposal

Due: Week 7
Weighting: 20%

A proposal for a final research paper, including a thesis statement and an annotated bibliography.

The topic shall be of the student's choosing, developed in consultation with the instructor.

The assignment and rubric will be available on ilearn in Week 3.

The proposal must be submitted via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate capacity for analytical and critical thinking
  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

Research paper

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%

A final research paper on a topic developed in consultation with the instructor.

The assignment and rubric will be available on ilearn in Week 3.

The paper must be submitted via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate capacity for analytical and critical thinking
  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

Reading responses

Due: Before Week 7 and Week 13
Weighting: 15%

In the first and second half of the semester, each student will write a critical reading response to one of our readings (of their choosing).

The assignment and rubric is available on ilearn.

Each response will count for 7.5% of the final grade.

Each response must be submitted via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of Chinese culture and society

In-class presentation

Due: Throughout semester
Weighting: 15%

Each participant will be required to guide discussion on one reading during the session, also providing three discussion questions for the class.

A rubric will be available on ilearn. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of and critical perspectives toward contemporary social and cultural theory

Active participation

Due: Throughout semester
Weighting: 20%

This is not an attendance mark. Note that this highlights "active participation," not attendance. Marks will in fact not be awarded for attendance alone, meaning that it is possible to attend every class and still not receive any participation marks. Participation marks are based in your active contributions to discussion.

Active participation in class discussion is a critical part of your learning in this unit. All students will be expected to have read the readings prior to attending class

The instructor will look for evidence of student knowledge of set readings; analysis of those readings and questions expressed in verbal form; ability to complete set tasks; ability and willingness to work with and respond to the views of the tutor and other students in verbal form. To do well in tutorial participation, you will not be expected to 'know everything' (asking questions is also a form of participation), but you will be expected to show an informed opinion of the unit materials and be able to contribute and share constructively with the class.

Rubric on ilearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Able to discuss and evaluate concepts, themes, and theoretical perspectives on contemporary Chinese culture and society
  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

Delivery and Resources

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TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

Online Unit

Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

Is my unit in iLearn?: http://help.ilearn.mq.edu.au/unitsonline/ to check when your online unit will become available.

Technology

Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

For students attending classes on campus we strongly encourage that you bring along your own laptop computer, ready to work with activities in your online unit. The preferred operating system is Windows 10.

Students are required to access the online unit in iLearn by the end of Week 1 and follow any relevant instructions and links for downloads that may be required. If applicable, students are required to download the relevant language package prior to Week 2.

Please contact your course convenor before the end of Week 1 if you do not have a suitable laptop (or tablet) for in-class use.

Unit Schedule

Week Textbook reading Focused readings (available on ilearn)
1- Introduction Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 1-23 N/A
2- Families, Kinship, and Relatedness Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 27- 45 Arthur Wolf, "Adopt a Daughter-in-Law, Marry a Sister: A Chinese Solution to the Problem of the Incest Taboo;" Arthur Wolf, "Childhood Association and Sexual Attraction: A Further Test of the Westermarck Hypothesis;" and Steven Sangren, "The Chinese Family as Instituted Fantasy"
3- Marriage, Intimacy, and Sex Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 47-63 Zheng Tiantian, "Perceptions toward Condom Use among Male Clients of Dalian Hostesses," Everett Zhang, "The Birth of nanke (Men's Medicine) in China: The Making of the Subject of Desire," and Kevin Carrico, "The Unknown Virus: The Social Logic of Bio-conspiracy Theories in Contemporary China"
4- "Guanxi" N/A Thomas Gold, "After Comradeship: Personal Relations in China Since the Cultural Revolution," and Allen Chun, "From the Ashes of Socialist Humanism: The Myth of Guanxi Exceptionalism in the PRC"
5- Religion, Ritual, and Religiosity Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 127- 143 James Watson, "Of Flesh and Bones: The Management of Death Pollution in Cantonese Society," and Steven Sangren, "Dialectics of Alienation: Individuals and Collectivities in Chinese Religion"

6- Ethnicity

Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 145-160 Dru Gladney, "Representing Nationality in China: Refiguring Majority/ Minority Identities," Chris Vasantkumar, "What is this Chinese in Overseas Chinese? Soujourn Work and the Place of China's Minority Nationalities in Extraterritorial Chineseness," and Sean Roberts, "The Biopolitics of China's War on Terror and the Exclusion of the Uyghurs"
7- Proposal presentations and discussions N/A N/A
8- Politics N/A Zhang Longxi, "Western Theory, Chinese Reality," Lynnette Ong, "Thugs for Hire and the Outsourcing of State Repression in China," and Qin Shao, "The Woman of a Thousand-and-one Petitions"

9- Education and Youth Culture 

Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 161-195 Readings TBD

10- Gender

Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 237-255 Emily Ahern, "The Power and Pollution of Chinese Women," and Kevin Carrico, "Producing Purity"
11- Class and Inequality Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 199-216 Excerpts from Martin King Whyte's Myth of the Social Volcano: Perceptions of Inequality and Distributive Injustice in Contemporary China
12- Urban-rural relations Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 217-235 Li Zhang, "Contesting Crime, Order, and Migrant Spaces in Beijing" and Helen Siu, "Grounding Displacement: Uncivil Urban Spaces in Postreform South China"
13 Collective action and final presentations Jacka, Kipnis, and Sargeson, pg 257-274 N/A

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Able to discuss and evaluate concepts, themes, and theoretical perspectives on contemporary Chinese culture and society
  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

Assessment tasks

  • Research paper
  • In-class presentation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of Chinese culture and society

Assessment tasks

  • Research paper
  • Reading responses

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate understanding of and critical perspectives toward contemporary social and cultural theory
  • Demonstrate capacity for analytical and critical thinking

Assessment tasks

  • Research proposal
  • Research paper
  • Reading responses
  • Active participation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Demonstrate capacity for analytical and critical thinking

Assessment tasks

  • Research proposal
  • Research paper

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and responding to ideas in discussion and assignments

Assessment tasks

  • In-class presentation
  • Active participation

About this unit

As China plays an increasingly important role in global affairs, graduates of the Chinese program, as well as graduates from other programs and departments, need to be familiar with the most pressing issues in contemporary Chinese culture and society. Learners also need to be familiar with the theories through which scholars analyze these issues, and the resulting diversity of opinions on these issues, so that they can make informed comments and decisions in their future careers. This unit will draw upon the rich English-language sociological and anthropological literature on contemporary China. There will be a focus upon not only understanding local social issues, such as contentious politics, the environment, ethnic relations, and urbanization, but also thinking through these issues in a broader comparative perspective.