Contemporary China.

Catalog description

Since about 1990, China has been racing into the future: hundreds of millions of farmers have been lifted out of poverty as the country has grown to be a colossus of the world economy. Its government has a growing "hard power" reach as well as a sophisticated array of "soft power" initiatives. It is sweatshop to the world but also a leader in high-tech fields such as solar panels and mobile devices. Farmers in remote areas struggle to survive, while globe-trotting nouveau riches party the night away in chic nightclubs. This course surveys contemporary issues in China since about 1990, and focuses on the environment and population issues; foreign policy and grand strategy; and society and culture at the street and village level.