Readings are selected from political, economic, social, and literary perspectives to help students develop their literary critiques and intellectual inquiry.
All readings are in English translation.
No previous knowledge of Chinese language is required. The course covers four periods. The first period commences in the year 1919. The May Fourth Movement of 1919 launched a new wave of criticism against Confucian philosophy and Chinese traditions. Writers such as Lu Xun explored the social dynamics of contemporary Chinese society, including the changes taking place in the class structure, the conflicts between the old and the new, between East and West.