Revolutionary Writing in Modern China

Catalog description

Chinese thinkers, writers, and activists carried out radical political, social, and cultural transformations in the long twentieth century. How did Chinese revolutionaries understand their own goals and articulate them in writing? And how did transformations in writing itself—on the level of diction, script, form, and medium—become a part of revolutions and of revolutionary culture? This course will provide an introduction to the politics and culture of modern China through the dual lenses of writing and revolution, while at the same time leading students to think more broadly and creatively about the role of writing and literary texts in revolutionary projects. The course will also draw on other cultural forms, from woodblock prints to painting and film, to understand the importance of writing within a broader media landscape. Familiarity with China or Chinese language is not required. Class sessions will incorporate lectures and student presentations, with the majority of the time devoted to discussion of readings.