An introduction to the history of China in a global context. Our journey will begin with the Mongol empire in the thirteenth century and conclude with preliminary reflections on the most recent past. Through close reading of both primary sources and secondary scholarship, students will gain a better understanding of what it means to “do” history as well as how China’s transformations could be contextualized in world-historical terms.
Course Structure
This course will be conducted in person.
Students are expected to have reviewed and reflected on the assigned recording(s)/readings prior to each week’s session. Materials to be reviewed will include both primary and secondary sources as well as audio-visual presentations provided by the instructor.
The weekly session will comprise a lecture and a tutorial: we will review the key themes of the week, and we will discuss the assigned materials, both as a class and in break-out groups.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the term, students should be able to:
- Discuss how China’s transformations since the thirteenth century could be understood in world-historical contexts;
- Explain the utility and limitation of a wide range of historical (primary) sources;
- Identify and understand how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of historical claims;
- Incorporate the material dimension of the past into their historical analyses.
Assessment of Learning
For more details on the individual components, see the Assessment section.
| Quizzes | 12% |
| Discussion Posts | 12% |
| Attendance/Participation | 10% |
| Short Reflection Essays | 16% |
| Mid-term Checkup | 10% |
| Virtual Exhibition | 20% |
| Final Essay/Project | 20% |
Important Dates
| Sep. 5 | Imagine UBC (no class) |
| Sep. 12 | First session |
| Sep. 18 | Last date to withdraw without the “W” standing |
| Oct. 2 | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (UBC closed) |
| Oct. 9 | Thanksgiving Day (UBC closed) |
| Oct. 12 | Make-up “Monday” |
| Oct. 22 | Draft virtual exhibition due |
| Oct. 23–27 | Mid-term checkup |
| Oct. 27 | Last date to withdraw |
| Nov. 13–15 | Mid-term break |
| Nov. 17 | Virtual Exhibition due |
| Dec. 5 | Last session |
| Dec. 18 | Final essay/project due |
Learning Materials
- Waley-Cohen, Joanna. The Sextants of Beijing: Global Currents in Chinese History. New York and London: W. W. Norton, 1999 (available on reserve and through the UBC Bookstore).
- Other required readings are available online or through Canvas.
Office Hours/Learning Lounge
No doubt you will have questions. Feel free to contact the instructor (preferred to be addressed as Dr. Shin or Prof. Shin) through email or via Canvas. The usual response time is within 24 hours (except for weekends or holidays). Please use your UBC email address if possible.
Office hours (Wed./Thurs. 16:00–17:00) are by appointment (sign-ups; be sure to check the time zone). The default mode is by Zoom (link), but students who would like to meet in my office are welcome to send a request through email. Students are strongly encouraged to check in with me, particularly early on during the term, to make sure all is on track.
A Learning Lounge has also been set up under Discussions in Canvas for students to post—and answer each other’s—questions. The instructor will “drop in” at least once a week to see if there are outstanding questions. Respectful netiquette is expected and appreciated.
Acknowledgment
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.