Anthropology 220: China Now

Since the end of the Maoist era and the beginning of "Reform and Opening Up" (beginning in 1978), China has experienced staggering social changes, from transitioning to a market economy to re-entering the global political theater as an increasingly influential superpower. This course explores these transformations and their consequences for Chinese society and politics, national and regional cultures, and ordinary life. We will examine topics including the history and politics of "Reform and Opening Up"; urbanization, migration, and the division of labor in cities and countryside; shifts in mass consumption and mediated desire; the social reproduction of traditional concepts like "guanxi" and "face"; religion and ethics; and ecological and environmental imaginations in 21st-century China. The class format will be mixed, lectures + discussion; assignments will include short paper assignments (4-6 pages), weekly forum posts, and a final presentation of a research topic.