Political Science and China (GOV 2285)

This graduate seminar gives students control over the secondary literature on Chinese politics, with special attention to competing theoretical and methodological approaches. Course Requirements This is a graduate seminar that requires basic familiarity (i.e., the equivalent of an undergraduate course) with the field of Chinese politics. The focus will be less on the substance than on the study of Chinese politics. The seminar covers major theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of domestic Chinese politics, with the aim of exploring the strengths and weaknesses of alternative perspectives. Readings and discussion sessions are intended to encourage an interactive dialogue between the study of China and the larger field of comparative politics. We will ask: What insights garnered from the study of other countries might productively be applied to China? And equally important: What lessons drawn from studies of Chinese politics might enrich the analysis of comparative politics more generally? Each week, all students will read a common assignment focused on China (marked with a double asterisk on the syllabus). In addition, each student is expected each week to read appropriate non-China materials that relate to the topic for that week. The non-China readings may be chosen from recommendations on the syllabus or selected at the student’s own discretion. All students are expected to participate actively in every class session.