Skip to main content

HarvardX: SW12.9x China and Communism

China and the Modern World 

Instructor

William C. Kirby
T.M. Chang Professor of China Studies
Harvard University 

Civilization and Empire is taught by Peter K. Bol

Overview

Modern China presents a dual image: a society transforming itself through economic development and infrastructure investment that aspires to global leadership; and the world's largest and oldest bureaucratic state, with multiple traditions in its cultural, economic, and political life. The modern society and state that is emerging in China bears the indelible imprint of China's historical experience, of its patterns of philosophy and religion, and of its social and political thought. These themes are discussed in order to understand China in the twenty-first century and as a great world civilization that developed along lines different from those of the Mediterranean.

ChinaX makes the riches of Harvard's collections and the expertise of its faculty accessible to learners worldwide. We will engage intellectual and religious trends, material and political culture, the local diversity and the national unity, art and literature, and China’s economic and political transformation— past, present and future.

In China and the Modern World explores the development of this great civilization from the Neolithic to the last dynasty. We see the formation of political structures and social practices that have lasted into the present; we learn to appreciate artistic and literary traditions of sophistication and refinement; we inquire into its philosophical and religious legacies and their significance for our own lives; and we trace the creation of the largest economy in world history. 

Objectives

In China and the Modern World, you will learn to develop your own approaches to history and gain a critical appreciation of China’s literary, philosophical, political and cultural resources. You will also learn to express ideas more clearly and confidently; to think more analytically and critically through the study of primary and secondary sources. 

Parts 6-10 span over 6,000 years of history. Each part consists of 4-8 sections, each with videos, readings, interactive engagements, assessments, and discussion forums. 

China: Civilization and Empire consists of the following five parts, a total of 25 sections:  

ChinaX (Part 9):  China and Communism
Explore the Maoist period of China, from the Communist Party to the death of Mao and the reopening of China. 

This course, the ninth in a comprehensive series on China, introduces you to the history, geography, and culture of the country.

How did the Communists conquer China? What role does culture play? What are the successes and failures of the Chinese Communist Party after seizing power in 1949? What constitutes liberation?

This course will help you answer these important questions as you explore the profound cultural, intellectual, political and economic changes of this period. You’ll learn how Communist China fits in with a larger socialist world order and how historical interpretations of this period reinforce or challenge the official narrative in China today.

Join us to develop your own approach and gain a critical understanding of the rise of the Communist Party, Sino-Soviet relations, the Cultural Revolution, and, ultimately, the reopening of China.

What you'll learn in ChinaX (Part 9)

  • How the rise of the Chinese Communist Party came about.
  • What changed under the People’s Republic under Mao Zedong.
  • What China’s reopening and reform in the 1970s meant for the country.
  • About the cultural, intellectual, political, economic changes in this period.

Readings

No books are required for the course. Many readings from the course are contained in Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, eds., Sources of Chinese Tradition, 2nd ed., volume 1 and 2 (Columbia UP, 2000 and 2001). If you want to supplement your study, Patricia Buckley Ebrey, The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, 2nd ed. (Cambridge UP, 2010), is a text that accompanies the sections and discussions by providing essential chronological survey information. 

Grading

Performance in the course will be evaluated based on the following:

  • Section 1 Assessments (15%)
  • Section 2: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 3: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 5: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 6: Assessments (15%)
  • Discussion (10%)
  • Final Assessments: (15% for only certificate learners) 

Certification

EdX offers an optional fee-based ($90 USD) verified certificate to those who have passed the course. If you achieve a passing grade of 65% in this course, you are eligible to receive a verified certificate. Your certificate will indicate you have successfully completed the course, but will not include a specific grade. You can find your current score on the Progress page. Your score is based on the assessments in each section.

EdX provides optional verified certificates to those who have:

  • passed the course by January 26, 2020
  • verified their identity
  • paid the certificate fee

Some content in edX is available only to learners who have purchased a verified certificate. Locked content is marked with a lock icon, as shown to the right. Click the image to see a full-sized version. If you are using screen reader software, you will hear "Content available only to verified-track learners."

When you see this icon, it indicates there are one or more graded assignments on this page. Verified learners will be able to see and complete these assignments, which will count toward their certificate of completion.

In addition, audit learners will lose access to the course after a certain number of weeks. The length of time varies by course, and is noted on the course signup page at edX.org. This time is counted from when you enroll or from when the course begins, whichever is later. Verified learners retain course access indefinitely.

If you have questions, please use the Contact Us link here or at the bottom of the page.

Honor code statement

HarvardX requires individuals who enroll in its courses on edX to abide by the terms of the edX honor code. HarvardX will take appropriate corrective action in response to violations of the edX honor code, which may include dismissal from the HarvardX course; revocation of any certificates received for the HarvardX course; or other remedies as circumstances warrant. No refunds will be issued in the case of corrective action for such violations. Enrollees who are taking HarvardX courses as part of another program will also be governed by the academic policies of those programs.

Nondiscrimination/anti-harassment statement

Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact harvardx@harvard.edu and/or report your experience through the edX contact form.

Research Statement

HarvardX pursues the science of learning. By registering as an online learner in an HX course, you will also participate in research about learning. Read our research statement to learn more.