China and the Islamic World, c.600AD-Present

Catalog description

One of the most significant geopolitical shifts of recent years has been China's increased interest and involvement in the Islamic world, from Afghanistan to Africa. However, although such connections are not new, scholars have rarely examined the long history of contacts between the Sinic and the Islamic worlds comprehensively and systematically. Assembling a wide array of primary and secondary sources on different forms of Sino-Islamic encounters, this course introduces the major events, issues, and peoples that are involved in the complex relations between them. In-depth discussions of these topics will not only provide students with new perspectives on the histories of the Islamic world and China respectively, but also historical insights to gain a deeper understanding of the newly revived Sino-Islamic relations and the emerging China-US-Middle East triangular relationship in the twenty-first century. This course welcomes all students interested in histories of the Islamic world and China. No special background is required, though of course some knowledge of the history of China and/or the Islamic world will be a plus. Although it is a seminar course, a fifteen-minute mini-lecture in each class will provide students with basic background knowledge and set the context for the following week. We will then devote ourselves to discussion of the assigned readings. Pre-requisites: None. Fulfillment: CORE HPC/IPC; GCS China and the World/ Electives Chinese History, Society, and Culture; Humanities Major Other Introductory Courses (18-19 Topic Courses/ Survey Courses).