The purpose of this course is to summarize new directions in Chinese history and social science produced by the creation and analysis of big historical datasets based on newly opened Chinese archival holdings, and to organize this knowledge in a framework that encourages learning about China in comparative perspective.
Our course demonstrates how a new scholarship of discovery is redefining what is singular about modern China and modern Chinese history. Current understandings of human history and social theory are based largely on Western experience or on non-Western experience seen through a Western lens. This course offers alternative perspectives derived from Chinese experience over the last three centuries. We present specific case studies of this new scholarship of discovery divided into two stand-alone parts, which means that students can take any part without prior or subsequent attendance of the other part. Part 1 (this course) focuses on comparative inequality and opportunity and addresses two related questions ‘Who rises to the top?’ and ‘Who gets what?’. Part 2 (https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-china-history-part-2) turns to an arguably even more important question ‘Who are we?’ as seen through the framework of comparative population behavior - mortality, marriage, and reproduction – and their interaction with economic conditions and human values. We do so because mortality and reproduction are fundamental and universal, because they differ historically just as radically between China and the West as patterns of inequality and opportunity, and because these differences demonstrate the mutability of human behavior and values. Course Overview video: https://youtu.be/dzUPRyJ4ETk
MM
Informative, relevant, and unique. The focus on recent discoveries unearthed through original research is refreshing.
RH
This course was very informative and engaging. The questions were a great way to check understanding. I can't wait for Part 2!
FF
I liked the data-driven, very analytic approach to understand Chines history better. Thank you for a great course.
JS
The truth about China. This is fact, by evidence, by statistics. Very good to know.
MA
This course has helped me to understand China through different dimensions. Teaching module and data elaboration are up to the mark.
AA
I loved the course. It gave me a totally different view of pre-revolution China. Even though I am not intoquantitative data, I still learned from the conclusions and interpretations of the data.
SM
This is the best course on Chinese history I've attended..
CO
A very in-depth introduction to Chinese society. This learning experience is very valuable. Thanks a lot.
BA
Very relevant and precise information, videos were also very engaging. I am definitely doing the second part of this course.
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I enjoyed this course tremendously, and discovered that there was a vast amount of information that I needed to learn about this SuperPower. China is an amazing country with an enormous population and economy, a history of remarkable achievement, and yet still unknown in many ways. Thanks for putting this course together.
Very interesting evidence-based approach in delivering insights on Chinese society and its development. As a native Chinese, I still learned a lot about the societal characteristics of my home country.
This course was very informative and engaging. The questions were a great way to check understanding. I can't wait for Part 2!
Very relevant and precise information, videos were also very engaging. I am definitely doing the second part of this course.
Informative, relevant, and unique. The focus on recent discoveries unearthed through original research is refreshing.
A very in-depth introduction to Chinese society. This learning experience is very valuable. Thanks a lot.
Well presented material, new and surprising insights. Rewarding experience.
This is the best course on Chinese history I've attended..
Very interesting, I would recommend this course.
It is a very short and concise course.
A little bit slow at first, amazing for people who just want to have some contact with the history and culture of china!
I liked the data-driven, very analytic approach to understand Chines history better. Thank you for a great course.
Has some interesting bits about Chinese history, is however in part pretty biased and also uses, in my eyes, misleading comparisons sometimes, e.g. using only home ownership rates to compare wealth levels for different countries which is arguably an imperfect proxy measurement. In Germany, for example, the home ownership rate is one of the lowest in the world, but I would not say that Germans are particularly poor or poorer than people from countries with higher home ownership rates simply because they are more likely to rent than to buy homes.
Typical teacher who might be knowledgeable but bad at explaining it to others.
Brilliant course. High quality information, comprehensive sources and interesting tests. Part 1 puts the revolution in a new perspective and connects imperial China with contemporary China. The course also throws a light on equality vs inequality globally and in China. The course is controversial in that it reflects duly and appropriately the complexity of Chinese social history and its development as opposed to the black-and-white view on China which still persists in the West. I also liked the very down-to-earth approach of Prof Lee.
Assumptions or discourses of social diversity, wealth distribution/inequality were examined in a multi-faceted manner. Appropriate coverage of social theories as background for the discussions, which made it very interesting for a natural science student like me. Nice course! I'm very happy I took it.
I really enjoy all the topics hat I studied in this course, and I felt a little difficulty in analysing the graphs but overall in my opinion the faculties did their work relating to research efficiently and this course gives a lot of information about the social history of china.
This is a very short but informative course comparing the wealth distribution between China and the United States / UK throughout times of history. It features history but also data analysis looking at education levels influenced social mobility in society. Eyeopening course.
This is an incredible course that I benefited from HUGELY. Highly recommend it to reader-who-is-reading-this.
You won't be disappointed with the course's quality, integrity, or their accuracy.
Sincerely,
Tiffany
I loved the course. It gave me a totally different view of pre-revolution China. Even though I am not into
quantitative data, I still learned from the conclusions and interpretations of the data.