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

Class Details

According to the most recent census conducted in China in 2010, of the 1.3 billion population of China, more than 110 million (8.49%) were ethnic minorities (shaoshu minzu). Most of the minority groups 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 (ethnic group); 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. We will examine how social differences and hierarchy are shaped and discuss various ways of achieving equity for ethnic minorities. Throughout the course, the teaching techniques of role-play and debates will be adopted to encourage students to compare ethnic minority issues in China with similar issues in the United States. Students are also encouraged to come up with real-world solutions and recommendations for policy-making at the government and community levels for China and the United States.
The Class: Format: seminar; discussion
Limit: 20
Expected: 15
Class#: 3245
Grading: no pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: class attendance, active in-class participation, presentations, two short (5-page) response papers, one 24-hr take-home mid-term, and one final paper (10-12 pages)
Prerequisites: none, open to all students; no knowledge of Chinese language required
Enrollment Preferences: current and prospective majors in the Department of Asian Studies, then to first-years
Materials/Lab Fee: books and reading packet
Distributions: Division II Exploring Diversity Initiative
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
ANTH 223 Division II CHIN 223 Division II
DPE Notes: We will explore various meanings of "diversity" and "being ethnic" in the Chinese context and compare them with students' own experiences through class discussions. Students are also required to write one short response paper on their personal encounter with the concept of "race" or "ethnicity." For the final research paper, students are required to identify one problem among all the ethnic minority issues in the Chinese context and write a policy recommendation to make real-world changes.
Attributes: INST East Asian Studies Electives

Class Grid

Updated 6:29 pm

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