CHIN 223
Ethnic Minorities in China: Past and Present Spring 2012
Division II Exploring Diversity Initiative
Cross-listed ANTH 223
This is not the current course catalog

By 2000, of the 1.3 billion population of China, more than 100 million were ethnic minorities (shaoshu minzu). Most of these reside in autonomous regions and districts, which constitute 64% of China’s total acreage. This course introduces students to the multiethnic aspect of China’s past and present. We will address topics such as the minority-group identification project; the definition of minzu; government policy toward and the current situation of the fifty-five official ethnic minority groups; historical sino-centric views about “foreigners” and “barbarians”; ideas of “diversity,” “unity,” and “sinicization”; and the roles that “barbarians” have played in China’s long history. All readings will be in English. This is an EDI course. We will explore various meanings of “diversity” and “being ethnic” in the Chinese context and compare them with students’ own experiences through class discussions and an essay assignment.