The first fifty years of the 20th century saw unprecedented changes in almost
every sphere of Chinese society. A political system that had survived in some
form for over two millennia abruptly disintegrated. New ideas challenged orthodox intellectual culture in profound and complex ways. Chinese intellectuals
questioned the value of inherited traditions while simultaneously facing the real
possibility of the near total extinction of those traditions. Literature, which had
historically been an important locus of cultural debates, served this role to perhaps an even greater extent during this tumultuous period, as writers struggled
with questions of how to save a country and culture wracked by internal disintegration and facing urgent external threats. These debates framed many of the
issues that continue to influence the political, intellectual, and literary cultures of
the People's Republic of China and Taiwan to this day. In this course we will
examine a broad range of sources that engage the key debates of this period. We
will address such questions as the role of traditional culture versus that of modern or Western culture, the role of ideology and politics in literary and artistic
production, ideas of nationhood and cultural identity, and the relationship between the individual and the state. All readings will be in English translation.
Format: tutorial. Requirements: students will meet with the instructor in pairs for
an hour each week. Every other week the student will write and present orally a
5- to 7-page paper on the assigned topic of that week. In alternative weeks, the
student will write a 2-page critique of the fellow student's paper. There will also
be a final paper dealing with the issues addressed during the course. Evaluation
will be based on written work and analysis of the fellow student's work.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 10 (expected: 10). Preference given to Chinese majors.
Tutorial meetings to be arranged. NUGENT