China (Part 9): China and Communism - Harvard University

China (Part 9): China and Communism is the ninth of ten parts of ChinaX, that collectively span over 6,000 years of history. Each part consists of 4 to 8 weekly "modules," each with videos, readings, interactive engagements, assessments, and discussion forums. There are a total of 52 modules in ChinaX.

Parts 6-10 make up China and the Modern World, taught by Professor William C. Kirby. Parts 1-5 make up China: Civilization and Empire, taught by Professor Peter K. Bol.

• The rise of the Chinese Communist Party, the People’s Republic under Mao Zedong, and the beginning of China’s reopening and reform in the 1970s.
• The questions: “How did the Communists conquer China?” “What constitutes liberation?” What are the successes and failures of the Chinese Communist Party after seizing power in 1949?"
• The profound cultural, intellectual, political and economic changes within this period.
• To consider the question “What role does culture play?” – China in this period within a socialist world order; how historical interpretations of this period reinforce or challenge the official narrative in China today.
• To develop your own approaches to history and gain a critical appreciation of China’s literary, philosophical, political and cultural resources.
• To express ideas more clearly and confidently; to think more analytically and critically through the study of primary and secondary sources.