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Professional Development Professional Development
Modern China in Three Keys Institute Readings Modern China in Three Keys Institute Readings

Institute Readings

Given the diverse backgrounds of the Institute participants, as well as the interdisciplinary and broadly historical sweep of the Summer Institute, we are not assigning a large number of mandatory readings as preparation for the program. We do, however, ask that you read at least one of the following histories (full citations below).

  • The Ebrey and Liu Illustrated History of China offers a full spectrum introduction to Chinese history.
  • Rana Mitter’s A Bitter Revolution is a well-crafted history of modern China through the end of the 20th century.
  • Jeffrey Wasserstom’s (edited) The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China offers a range of perspectives on modern China by twelve leading scholars.
  • Jing Tsu’s highly-regarded Kingdom of Characters tells the story of the emergence of modern China through the transformation of the written Chinese language.

We are also suggesting that you read one of several books that offer insights on China’s recent history and the character and complexities of contemporary Chinese life: Harrison-Hall and Lovell’s biography-driven account of Chinese modernity; Yu Hua’s China in 10 Words, a “keywords” exposition of contemporary Chinese society; and Evan Osnos’ Age of Ambition, a journalistic exploration of the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

Institute Bibliography

The institute bibliography provides an overview of scholarship relevant to the themes of the institute.

Institute Bibliography (pdf)

Daily Readings

The daily readings include content- and method-focused scholarly works, primary text translations, and introductory material suitable for assignment to students.

Daily Readings listed below are subject to revision

JULY 10
Shana BROWN:
Zhu Ziqing, "My Father's Back"

Hua, Yu & Bar, H. Allen (2012). “People” and “Lu Xun” in China in 10 words. Random House Inc.

Tsing, J. (2022). When Peking became Beijing in “ Kingdom of characters : the language revolution that made China modern : hardcover. Riverhead.
JULY 11
Jonathan PETTIT:
Required:
Yang, F. (2012). “Regulating Religion Under Communism” in Religion in China : survival and revival under communist rule. Oxford University Press.

Yang, F. (2012).“Chinese Marxist Atheism and its Policy Implications” in Religion in China : survival and revival under communist rule. Oxford University Press.

Recommended:
Yang, F., & Pettit, J. E. E. (2018). Atlas of Religion in China: Social and Geographical Contexts. Brill.
JULY 12
Kate LINGLEY
Required:
Hung, C.-T. (1997). Two Images of Socialism: Woodcuts in Chinese Communist Politics. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 39(1), 34–60.

Tse-tung, M. (1939). “The May 4th movement” in The selected works of Mao Tse-tung.

Wu, H. (1901). Ruins, fragmentation, and the Chinese modern/postmodern. In Illumina ARTbibliographies Modern - unstructured.

Xun, L. (1960). “Preface to call to arms” in Selected stories of Lu Hsun. Foreign Languages Press.

Zhang, L. (2000). Cai Yuanpei 1868-1940. Prospects: the quarterly review of comparative education, 32 (½), 147-157.
JULY 13
Participant Project Meetings
No assigned readings
JULY 14
Haiyan LEE:
Required:
Wang, D. Introduction - worlding literary China. In A new literary history of modern China.
JULY 17
Christopher McNALLY - Morning Session:
Required:
Christopher A. McNally, “Sino-Capitalism’s Dialectical Processes and International Relations Theory,” in Chengxin Pan and Emilian Kavalski, eds. China’s Rise and Rethinking International Relations Theory, Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2022, pp. 190-209.

Christopher A. McNally, "Chaotic Mélange: Neo-liberalism and Neo-statism in the Age of Sino-capitalism," Review of International Political Economy, volume 27, issue 2, 2020, pp. 281-301; published online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09692290.2019.1683595

Recommended:
Breslin, S. et al. (2021). “Chinese economic statecraft. An illiberal actor in a (more) liberal global economy: who is changing who?” in Drivers of Global Change: Responding to East Asian Economic and Institutional Innovation. Torino World Affairs Institute.

Breslin, S. et al. (2021). “A brave new world of money: the nature and logic of China’s digital yuan” in Drivers of Global Change: Responding to East Asian Economic and Institutional Innovation. Torino World Affairs Institute.
XU Di - Afternoon Session:
Required:
Holms, B. (2016). A comparativist’s view on Chinese education. In Ruth Hayhoe (ed.) (2016). Contemporary Chinese Education. Routledge. Chapter 1, 7-26.

Epstein, I. (2017). Introduction. Chinese education: problems, policies, and prospectus.
JULY 18
LUO Yu:
Required:
Sum, C.-Y., Blumenfield, T., Shenk, M. K., & Mattison, S. M. (2022). Hierarchy, Resentment, and Pride: Politics of Identity and Belonging among Mosuo, Yi, and Han in Southwest China. Modern China, 48(3), 568–592.

Suggested:
Tamara Jacka, & Andrew B. Kipnis and Sally Sargeson. (2013). Chapter. 7 Ethnicity in Contemporary China : society and social change. Cambridge University Press.

Luo, Y. (2018). Alternative Indigeneity in China? The Paradox of the Buyi in the Age of Ethnic Branding. Verge (Minneapolis, Minn.), 4(2), 107–134.
JULY 19
YANG Guobin:
Required:
Yang, G. (2021). Online lockdown diaries as endurance art. AI & Society, 1–10.

Suggested:
Bao, H. (2020). ‘Anti-domestic violence little vaccine’: A Wuhan-based feminist activist campaign during COVID-19. Interface, 12(1), 53-63

Yang, G. (2022). Chapter 6 in The Wuhan Lockdown. Columbia University Press.

Institute Readings

Given the diverse backgrounds of the Institute participants, as well as the interdisciplinary and broadly historical sweep of the Summer Institute, we are not assigning a large number of mandatory readings as preparation for the program. We do, however, ask that you read at least one of the following histories (full citations below).

  • The Ebrey and Liu Illustrated History of China offers a full spectrum introduction to Chinese history.
  • Rana Mitter’s A Bitter Revolution is a well-crafted history of modern China through the end of the 20th century.
  • Jeffrey Wasserstom’s (edited) The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern China offers a range of perspectives on modern China by twelve leading scholars.
  • Jing Tsu’s highly-regarded Kingdom of Characters tells the story of the emergence of modern China through the transformation of the written Chinese language.

We are also suggesting that you read one of several books that offer insights on China’s recent history and the character and complexities of contemporary Chinese life: Harrison-Hall and Lovell’s biography-driven account of Chinese modernity; Yu Hua’s China in 10 Words, a “keywords” exposition of contemporary Chinese society; and Evan Osnos’ Age of Ambition, a journalistic exploration of the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

Institute Bibliography

The institute bibliography provides an overview of scholarship relevant to the themes of the institute.

Institute Bibliography (pdf)

Daily Readings

The daily readings include content- and method-focused scholarly works, primary text translations, and introductory material suitable for assignment to students.

Daily Readings listed below are subject to revision

JULY 10
Shana BROWN:
Zhu Ziqing, "My Father's Back"

Hua, Yu & Bar, H. Allen (2012). “People” and “Lu Xun” in China in 10 words. Random House Inc.

Tsing, J. (2022). When Peking became Beijing in “ Kingdom of characters : the language revolution that made China modern : hardcover. Riverhead.
JULY 11
Jonathan PETTIT:
Required:
Yang, F. (2012). “Regulating Religion Under Communism” in Religion in China : survival and revival under communist rule. Oxford University Press.

Yang, F. (2012).“Chinese Marxist Atheism and its Policy Implications” in Religion in China : survival and revival under communist rule. Oxford University Press.

Recommended:
Yang, F., & Pettit, J. E. E. (2018). Atlas of Religion in China: Social and Geographical Contexts. Brill.
JULY 12
Kate LINGLEY
Required:
Hung, C.-T. (1997). Two Images of Socialism: Woodcuts in Chinese Communist Politics. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 39(1), 34–60.

Tse-tung, M. (1939). “The May 4th movement” in The selected works of Mao Tse-tung.

Wu, H. (1901). Ruins, fragmentation, and the Chinese modern/postmodern. In Illumina ARTbibliographies Modern - unstructured.

Xun, L. (1960). “Preface to call to arms” in Selected stories of Lu Hsun. Foreign Languages Press.

Zhang, L. (2000). Cai Yuanpei 1868-1940. Prospects: the quarterly review of comparative education, 32 (½), 147-157.
JULY 13
Participant Project Meetings
No assigned readings
JULY 14
Haiyan LEE:
Required:
Wang, D. Introduction - worlding literary China. In A new literary history of modern China.
JULY 17
Christopher McNALLY - Morning Session:
Required:
Christopher A. McNally, “Sino-Capitalism’s Dialectical Processes and International Relations Theory,” in Chengxin Pan and Emilian Kavalski, eds. China’s Rise and Rethinking International Relations Theory, Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2022, pp. 190-209.

Christopher A. McNally, "Chaotic Mélange: Neo-liberalism and Neo-statism in the Age of Sino-capitalism," Review of International Political Economy, volume 27, issue 2, 2020, pp. 281-301; published online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09692290.2019.1683595

Recommended:
Breslin, S. et al. (2021). “Chinese economic statecraft. An illiberal actor in a (more) liberal global economy: who is changing who?” in Drivers of Global Change: Responding to East Asian Economic and Institutional Innovation. Torino World Affairs Institute.

Breslin, S. et al. (2021). “A brave new world of money: the nature and logic of China’s digital yuan” in Drivers of Global Change: Responding to East Asian Economic and Institutional Innovation. Torino World Affairs Institute.
XU Di - Afternoon Session:
Required:
Holms, B. (2016). A comparativist’s view on Chinese education. In Ruth Hayhoe (ed.) (2016). Contemporary Chinese Education. Routledge. Chapter 1, 7-26.

Epstein, I. (2017). Introduction. Chinese education: problems, policies, and prospectus.
JULY 18
LUO Yu:
Required:
Sum, C.-Y., Blumenfield, T., Shenk, M. K., & Mattison, S. M. (2022). Hierarchy, Resentment, and Pride: Politics of Identity and Belonging among Mosuo, Yi, and Han in Southwest China. Modern China, 48(3), 568–592.

Suggested:
Tamara Jacka, & Andrew B. Kipnis and Sally Sargeson. (2013). Chapter. 7 Ethnicity in Contemporary China : society and social change. Cambridge University Press.

Luo, Y. (2018). Alternative Indigeneity in China? The Paradox of the Buyi in the Age of Ethnic Branding. Verge (Minneapolis, Minn.), 4(2), 107–134.
JULY 19
YANG Guobin:
Required:
Yang, G. (2021). Online lockdown diaries as endurance art. AI & Society, 1–10.

Suggested:
Bao, H. (2020). ‘Anti-domestic violence little vaccine’: A Wuhan-based feminist activist campaign during COVID-19. Interface, 12(1), 53-63

Yang, G. (2022). Chapter 6 in The Wuhan Lockdown. Columbia University Press.