Syllabi

This module revolves around one of the key themes we covered in our publications, that is, internationalist activism and solidarity, notably the ways in which Chinese activists, both abroad and within China, have engaged with global social justice movements. The module is articulated in five clusters. In the first, we discuss some of the ideas that underpin historical antecedents of present-day transnational solidarity in China, notably the arc of anticolonial, Asianist, and Third-World movements that emerged in the early twentieth century and which gained traction during the Mao era. The second focuses on the lived experiences of individuals, especially construction workers, engineers, and doctors, that participated in top-down attempts by the Chinese Party-State to foster international cooperation with the developing world. In the third, we zoom in on one specific facet of international solidarity, that is Black activism, with a series of pieces that offer different perspectives on how Blackness has been imagined, defined, or practised in different moments of contemporary Chinese history. In the fourth, we shift to today, with a group of essays that explores the complexity, diversity, and challenges of the Chinese diaspora’s activism and solidarity efforts across the world, highlighting how they navigate their positionality in contexts where Chinese nationals are often regarded with suspicion. Finally, we offer a few perspectives on transnational activism related to ethnic minorities.

This module offers some perspectives on the challenges of doing research in and on China these days, specifically the ways in which various authors have grappled with the ethical and epistemic dimensions of studying China. The module is composed of five clusters. In the first, we present discussions about broad approaches to the study of Chinese politics and society, including takes on how to navigate opposing narratives, the merits of cross-national comparative analyses, and how to balance different research strategies. The second focuses on the methods, challenges, and ethics of conducting fieldwork, specifically how to navigate politically sensitive environments, recognise complex trade-offs, and translate one’s work between interlocutors. The third underscores the need for a gendered lens to the study of China, with essays that contemplate the effect of gendered violence on researchers and the integration of feminist theory into research methodologies. The fourth provides a series of critical takes on issues related to open science and academic freedom, including analyses of how the commercial academic publishing industry is undermining critical discussions about China. Finally, the fifth (which for now features only one piece but which we will expand soon as we prepare an entire issue of Global China Pulse on the topic) offers perspectives on how to do grounded research on Global China.