ChinaX Book Club: Contemporary Chinese Literature
Explore modern China through five influential books, developing critical analysis skills and understanding cultural dynamics.
Explore modern China through five influential books, developing critical analysis skills and understanding cultural dynamics.
Dive into the heart of contemporary China with this engaging literature course from Harvard University. Over five weeks, you'll explore five seminal works by renowned Chinese authors, each offering a unique perspective on China's cultural and political landscape. Led by Harvard faculty member Professor David Wang, this course employs close reading, critical discussion, and analysis to unpack the complex issues facing modern China. You'll engage with themes of politics, ethics, culture, and gender, while developing your skills in literary analysis and cultural interpretation. The course features exclusive interviews with the authors, providing invaluable insights into their works and the context of contemporary Chinese literature.
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What you'll learn
Survey the transformation of contemporary Chinese literature through engagement with five key books and author interviews
Explore modern China from multiple perspectives, including politics, ethics, culture, and gender
Understand how literature can serve as a form of political intervention and articulate tensions between authoritarianism and individual freedom
Develop critical approaches to modern literature, culture, and history through close reading and analysis
Enhance ability to express ideas clearly and confidently through the study of primary and secondary sources
Gain insights into the creative processes of influential Chinese authors through exclusive interviews
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
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Module Description
This course offers an in-depth exploration of contemporary Chinese literature through five influential books by renowned authors. Students will engage with works by Yu Hua, Mo Yan, Yan Lianke, Ha Jin, and Wang Anyi, each providing a unique perspective on modern China. The curriculum covers a range of themes including political dynamics, cultural transformations, and social issues in contemporary Chinese society. Through close reading, critical discussions, and analysis, students will develop skills in literary interpretation and cultural understanding. The course also features interviews with the authors, offering insights into their creative processes and the context of their works. By examining these diverse literary voices, students will gain a nuanced understanding of China's complex social and cultural landscape.
Fee Structure
Instructor
1 Course
Leading Scholar Transforming Japanese Art and Visual Culture
Melissa McCormick is a Professor of Japanese Art and Culture at Harvard University, specializing in the relationship between art and literature, as well as forms of visual storytelling in Japan. She earned her BA from the University of Michigan in 1990 and her PhD in Japanese Art History from Princeton University in 2000. Before joining Harvard in 2005, she served as the Atsumi Assistant Professor of Japanese Art at Columbia University. Her influential works include "Tosa Mitsunobu and the Small Scroll in Medieval Japan," which explores the emergence of a new picto-literary genre, and "The Tale of Genji: A Visual Companion," which provides a comprehensive visual analysis of this classic text. McCormick's research has focused on reconstructing the interpretive communities of female readers and artists in late medieval Japan, emphasizing alternative spaces for creative expression. In addition to her scholarly publications, she has curated exhibitions such as "The Tale of Genji: A Japanese Classic Illuminated" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through her teaching and research, she continues to advance the understanding of Japanese art and its cultural significance across different historical contexts.
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