|
Lecturer(s)
|
-
Horálek Adam, PhDr. Ph.D.
|
|
Course content
|
PART 1 China as a cultural-geographical region 1. Internal diversity of China - introduction to the region of China 2. Orientalism and Edward Said, Occidentalism and oriental orientalism in China 3. From Maoism towards Socialism with Chinese characteristics - political, demographic and cultural development PART 2 China from different perspectives 4. Environmental anthropology of China - natural environment as a determinant as well as a victim of Chinese political, social and cultural history 5. Urban versus rural - Chinese cities as Asian phenomenon, inequality from anthropological perspective 6. Sacral and profane - religions and churches in contemporary China 7. Popular culture - culture of the society after the Cultural revolution 8. Society as an experiment - case studies of social experiments PART 3 China and its ethnic composition 9. Ethnic theories, ethnicity, nationalism in Chinese anf Far-East context 10. (Non)ethnic stereotypes about and in contemporary China 11. Outline of major ethnic groups, ethno-cutlural regionalisation, ethnic movements 12. Chinese diaspora 13. Brief comparison of different Chinas - Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore
|
|
Learning activities and teaching methods
|
|
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming), Work with text (with textbook, with book)
|
|
Learning outcomes
|
The course's main aim is to introduce students into the holistic perspective on contemporary China. China, as one of the core socio-economic regions of the world, is subjected to an intensive interest of academia as well as of general public. Due to (not only) its geographic and linguistic difference China is exposed to many stereotypes of so called orientalist approach. To diminish this ethnocentric and stereotypic perspectives on China and more complex understanding of major topics in contemporary China is the main goal of the course. The course is therefore divided into three main topics. In the first one, China is introduced as a cultural-geographic region with its internal diversity - environmental, political, population, ethnic and other. To understand these specifics, the Edward Said's Orientalism is essencial and we will elaborate it towards contemporary issues of occidentalism and oriental orientalism. the first part will be concluded with a brief introduction of modern cultural-political history of China since 1949 - predominantly with the focus on its way from Maoism towards Socialism with Chinese characteristics. The impacts of such development will be discussed in the second part of the course where will be China approached from environmental, urban and rural, religious, and popular culture perspectives. At the end of this part, we will have view the whole development in China as huge socio-cultural and political experiment. In the last part, we will focus on ethnic classification in China, ethnic theories and nationalism in Chinese as well as in Far-East context, ethnic stereotypes and "ethnic" conflicts within China. At the very end the other Chinas will be discussed - the Chinese diaspora as well other Chinese cultures of Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore.
The student will acquire general anthropological orientation in the Chinese region and ability of intercultural comparison. Student will grasp the knowledge about current situation of the region, major theoretical specifics and will have the capacity of critical thinking and non-stereotypical perception of the region.
|
|
Prerequisites
|
The course is not determined by previous anthropological education and it does not require any knowledge of Chinese.
KSKA/TEDA and KSKA/USA
|
|
Assessment methods and criteria
|
Oral examination, Written examination
|
|
Recommended literature
|
|