121-023 China in Transition

Formerly available as 121-238/338. Students who have completed 121-238 or 121-338 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Completion of 25 points of first year geography, economics or Asian studies or approval of the subject coordinator.

This subject is about the geography of 'Red Capitalist' China. It introduces students to issues of physical landscape, resources, present livelihood, and people and places in the land of one billion. The focus of the subject is the ongoing socio-economic transformation in post-Deng Xiaoping China including issues such as feeding a billion people; population growth and the one-child-only policy; political changes in the post-Deng era; and is China a Third World country or a major economic power? Students should become familiar with questions of rapid economic growth and the environmental consequences; open door policy and foreign investment; migration and urbanisation; coast-inland conflicts and income polarisation; economic restructuring, sustainable development and environmental degradation; and China in the next century.

• develop cross-cultural study skills;

• be able to write coherent and research essays;

• to be able to work effectively in projects which require teamwork.

An essay of 1600 words 40% (due at the end of semester), tutorial reports totalling 1000 words 25% and a take-home exam of 1400 words 35% (due at the end of semester).