This course will survey literature produced at various points in the tumult of modern Chinese history, from the late Qing through to the present day. While the time period will be broad, we will hope to engage in close, critical readings of significant works of fiction from a selection major authors primarily from Mainland China. How do certain concerns of modernity arise in different texts, at different times, and for different writers? What different relationships do we see being shaped between literature, life, and politics, and how does fiction negotiate certain tensions and anxieties about modern and contemporary life? By exploring a variety of engaging novels and short stories, we will hope to gain a more nuanced understanding of modern China and the role that fiction has played as both an agent of modernity and a reflection of modern Chinese life.
East Asian Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks
Sections (Spring 2024)
EAST-UA 732-000 (7696)01/22/2024 – 05/06/2024 Tue,Thu2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Early afternoon)at Washington SquareInstructed by Foley, Todd