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Spring Semester 2025/26
Spring Semester 2025/26
20 Credits
20 Credits
Module Organiser: Dr David Tobin (d.tobin@sheffield.ac.uk)
Module Organiser: Dr David Tobin (d.tobin@sheffield.ac.uk)
Overview
Overview
This module explores what it means to study China at university level, and considers how 'area studies' research on China fits within disciplines such as political economy, international relations, anthropology, sociology and geography. We will work on a combination of new and established research to explore core topics in contemporary China: including how Chinese society has changed; how researchers use different conceptual frameworks and types of primary evidence to understand change and its wider impact; and, how to use the different types of work published in the field and evaluate competing arguments in key debates. You will finish this module with a deeper understanding of our core topic and the disciplinary approaches that frame it, and a foundation in critical research and writing skills that you can apply and develop in further study.
Topics Covered
Topics Covered
The political history of the PRC
China’s governing institutions
The politics of economic reform in contemporary China
Official nationalism and popular nationalism
China’s ethnic politics
Civil society, protest, and resistance
Skills Development
Skills Development
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to demonstrate:
Critical thinking and cultural agility – The ability to compare academic literature and develop critical arguments about the politics, economy, and society in China.
Employability - you will learn to evaluate information and arguments, and to understand how these may or may not differ in different social contexts.
Independent learning and Teamwork – The ability to find and evaluate a range of source material on paper and online, and to develop/refine your understanding of that in co-operation with others;
Communication skills and academic writing – The ability to express your ideas in seminar discussions and present an argument in an assessed essay.
Employability - communication is central to work; the academic essay shows that you can deliver a persuasive argument within specific writing conventions, which is transferable long after we stop marking your work.
Study Hours
Study Hours
The University recommends that you spend 200 hours working on a 20-credit module. This will include:
Lecture: 10 hours
Seminar: 10 hours
Independent study: 180 Hours
Assessment
Assessment
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