GOV 1982: GOV 1982: Chinese Foreign Policy, 1949-2024

In the area below, provide basic, standard course information ahead of registration period to help students make informed course choices. Click the EDIT button and input your responses by over-writing the field description below each bolded heading. Consult the IT Help knowledge base or reach out to FAS Academic Technology at atg@fas.harvard.edu for assistance.

Course goals:

This course has two goals. The first is to provide you with a history of China's foreign policy since 1949. This includes basic developments in China's bilateral relations with other major states (e.g. the US, Soviet Union/Russia, Japan etc), in China's relations with other actors in international politics from revolutionary movements to international institutions, and in China’s positions on global issues such as climate, nuclear proliferation, trade and investment, among other topics. The second is to apply analytical tools from international relations theory and comparative foreign policy analysis to the China case. These include structural theories about power and norms, the role of ideology, historical memory, theories of domestic political conflict and development, identity and social status, and psychological approaches among others. The course is not about current events. Rather it focuses on what makes a 'good' explanation of foreign policy in the China case. The course does not assume that you have any background in China's history, politics, or foreign policy, nor in international relations theory and social science methods. So don't worry if you are not currently familiar with the content of the course. Also, ignore the official course title, 1949-2017 -- the content of the course goes up to the present day.  And if you have any questions about the course, please send me an email: johnston@fas.harvard.edu.

Course format:

Two 1+ hour lectures per week. One hour long weekly discussion section.

Typical enrollees:

The course is open to anyone interested in China's international relations. The course does not assume any background in the history or politics of China. It also doesn't assume any background in international relations. There are no prerequisites.

When is course typically offered?

Fall term, usually every academic year.

What can students expect from you as an instructor?

I combine visual analysis of everything from propaganda posters to data graphs with details about China's foreign policies to personal experiences interacting with foreign policy specialists in China.

Assignments and grading:

The main assignments are prepared and active participation in discussion sections; a takehome mid-term exam and a final assessment. For the final assessment students can choose between writing a research paper on a topic of their choice (~25 pages) or taking a three hour final exam. There is more information about assessments on the attached syllabus.

Enrollment cap, selection process, notification:

There is no enrollment cap. All students -- undergraduate and graduate -- are welcome.

Syllabus:

GOV 1982 Fall 2024 SYLLABUS v.1.pdf