Course Information
Course title
Technological Development, Politics and Society of China 
Semester
111-1 
Designated for
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES  GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL DEVELOP  
Instructor
Chiu-Wan Liu 
Curriculum Number
NtlDev8051 
Curriculum Identity Number
341ED1660 
Class
 
Credits
3.0 
Full/Half
Yr.
Half 
Required/
Elective
Required 
Time
Tuesday 6,7,8(13:20~16:20) 
Remarks
Restriction: Ph. D students
The upper limit of the number of students: 5.
The upper limit of the number of non-majors: 2. 
 
Course introduction video
 
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Course Syllabus
Please respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not copy any of the course information without permission
Course Description

The course has both lectures and seminar discussions. Different forms of class discussion will be held, including paired discussion, small group discussions, large group discussion, and short debates. This course aims to teach students how to critically examine China’s technological developments and political as well as social impacts thereof along three dimensions.

I. Chinese government, politics and economics since 1949: elucidates different political contexts of technological policies under different CCP leadership in a chronological order
II. Technology and politics of China: explicates complex political implications of technological developments of China, including how China has transitioned from an industrial economy to an ICT-based economy, the rise of Internet giants Alibaba and Tencent, the relationship between the Internet giants and CCP, as well as how the rise of Chinese fintech influences the authoritarian rule
III. Technology and society of China: helps students critically understand how industrial technologies, Internet and communication technologies, and fintech, have impacted on social norms, social institutions, social class and gender relations of China. 

Course Objective
This course aims to familiarise students with factual knowledge of developments of technology of China from the Mao era onwards, as well as various scholarly insights into such developments. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse China’s technological developments and policies based on their increased understanding of different political contexts under different CCP leadership, and how the technological developments have impacted on social norms, social institutions and social class of China.

Students will be motivated to deeply engage their learned factual knowledge with different strands of literature by attending lectures, participating in tailored class activities, fulfilling writing requirements, as well as preparing and attending an open book exam. Along with writing requirements, the exam is designed to help students hone the skills of organising ideas and thoughts into structured writings within a limited amount of time. 
Course Requirement
Attendance, mid-term examination, writing requirements 
Student Workload (expected study time outside of class per week)
 
Office Hours
Appointment required. Note: Appointment only 
Designated reading
Please see the electronic document of the syllabus (the attached of the first week in ceiba) 
References
Please see the electronic document of the syllabus (the attached of the first week in ceiba) 
Grading
 
No.
Item
%
Explanations for the conditions
1. 
Submit an analytical essay at Week 16 
20% 
 
2. 
Mid-Term Examination 
20% 
 
3. 
Submit FIVE weeks of reaction papers which include summaries and critical reflections on the required readings 
30% 
 
4. 
Active participation in class discussion 
10% 
 
5. 
Presentation of Reading 
20% 
 
 
Progress
Week
Date
Topic
Week 1
  Introduction to the Course
 
Week 2
  Examining the Maoist Style of Modernisation: Why did Great Leap Forward Movement Fail? 
Week 3
  The Reform and Opening in the Deng Era: Featured in Decentralisation and Export-oriented Economy 
Week 4
  Connecting with the Global Economy: China’s Accession to WTO in 2001 
Week 5
  Social Welfare Reforms and Public Participation during the Hu-Wen Era: When Chinese Tech Firms Emerge 
Week 6
  Recentralisation of Power under Xi: is China a digital autocrat?  
Week 7
  Wired Authoritarian China: The Development of the Internet Infrastructure and Information Technology 
Week 8
  The Relationship between the Chinese Internet Giants and the Party-State 
Week 9
  The Rise of Chinese Fintech and its Influence on the Authoritarian Regime 
Week 10
  Chinese Tech Firms' Investments Overseas 
Week 11
  Mid-Term Examination (Open Book Exam) 
Week 12
  E-commerce Economy and Rural Development 
Week 13
  Social Mobility and Digital Technology 
Week 14
  Gender and Technology: Technological Development and Gender Empowerment or Disempowerment 
Week 15
  Technological Modernisation and Environmental Degradation: Environmental Politics in the Authoritarian Regime 
Week 16
  Hand in the essay.