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An intense debate still surrounds the legacy of China under Mao Zedong nearly fifty years after his death. Apart from leading one of the greatest revolutions of the twentieth century and bringing the Communist Party of China into power in 1949, Mao radically transformed China’s economy, state, society, and culture in pursuit of building a ‘New China’ using the lessons that he had learned before 1949. However, after several years of success the revolution began to go awry amid the failure of the Great Leap Forward, paradigm shifts in the communist world, cold war politics, a schism between party leaders over the speed of development, and the destructive violence of mass mobilization campaigns during the Cultural Revolution. In this upper-level course, you will be able to explore a growing body of literature on China under Mao from a variety of perspectives so that you can form your own views on this historical period and be able to join the ongoing debate regarding Maoist legacies in China today.       

WEEK 1

Mon 4 Sep: No Class (Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates)

Wed 6 Sep— Course Introduction. Whence the Chinese Communist Revolution?

WEEK 2

Mon 11 Sep: What Was the Most Revolutionary Change?

Wed 13 Sep: Tutorial

WEEK 3

Mon 18 Sep: What Policy Was Most Revolutionary in the Countryside?

Wed 20 Sep: Tutorial

WEEK 4

Mon 25 Sep: What Policy Was Most Revolutionary in the Cities?

Wed 27 Sep: Tutorial

***YEAR OF 1954 REPORT DUE ON FRIDAY 29 SEPTEMBER BY 6:00 P.M.***

WEEK 5
Mon 2 Oct: No Class — National Day

Wed 4 Oct: What Was Mao’s Short-Term and Long-term Revolutionary Vision for China?

Fri 6 Oct: Tutorial (Venue TBD)

***BOOK 1 CHAPTER PRÉCIS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER***

WEEK 6

Mon 9 Oct: Why Did Mao Launch and Then End the One Hundred Flowers Campaign?

Wed 11 Oct: Tutorial

***BOOK 2 CHAPTER PRÉCIS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER***

WEEK 7

Mon 16 Oct: What Was the Most Important Consequence of the Great Leap Forward?

Wed 18 Oct: Tutorial

WEEK 8

Mon 23 Oct: No Class — Chung Yeung Festival

Wed 25 Oct: What Caused the split in the Yan’an Leadership?

***BOOK 3 CHAPTER PRÉCIS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER***

Fri 27 Oct: Tutorial (Venue TBD)

***BOOK 4 CHAPTER PRÉCIS DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER***

WEEK 9

Mon 30 Oct: Why Did Mao Launch the Cultural Revolution?

Wed 1 Nov: Tutorial

*** PRIMARY SOURCE TEXTUAL ANALYSIS DUE BY FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER AT 6:00 P.M.***

WEEK 10

Mon 6 Nov: How Did the Cultural Revolution Impact Everyday Life?

***MEMOIR / INTERVIEW SELECTION DUE BY MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER AT 6:00 P.M.***

Wed 8 Nov: Tutorial

***MEMOIR / INTERVIEW ANALYSIS DUE BY FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER AT 6:00 P.M.***

WEEK 11

Mon 13 Nov: What Factor Contributed Most to the Mao Cult?

Wed 15 Nov: Tutorial

WEEK 12

Mon 20 Nov: What Was the Most Important Consequence of the Cultural Revolution?

Wed 22 Nov: Tutorial

***IMAGE ANALYSIS DUE BY FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER AT 6:00 P.M.***

WEEK 13

Mon 27 Nov: What Is Mao’s Most Important Legacy?

Wed 29 Nov: Tutorial

WEEK 14

Mon 4 Dec: Term Paper Posters and Presentations (Venue TBD)

*** RESEARCH PAPER DUE BY MONDAY 11 DECEMBER AT 6.00 P.M.***