Global Politics and China

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Global Politics and China
This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.

CHST A312
Global Politics and China



Introduction

Welcome to CHST A312 Global Politics and China!

For many of you, some issues discussed in the course (e.g., China's foreign relations, the role of Taiwan in China's foreign affairs, or international organizations) should be familiar as they have been examined by CHST A322 Chinese Government and Politics, CHST A301 Critical Issues in Contemporary China or POLS A301 International Organisations. Perhaps you have also completed the Social Science Foundation Courses (SOSC A101/SOSC A111C/SOSC A112C). CHST A312 will compliment these courses, by expanding on the themes mentioned above and analyzing topics specific to the study of International Relations/global politics. Those of you who did not take any courses relating -- however remotely -- to politics or Chinese foreign relations should not be at any disadvantage. Each unit is written in such a way that pre-existing in-depth knowledge of International Relations is not necessary. After all, you come to this course to learn about global politics and China's behaviour on the international arena, rather than to simply refresh your knowledge of issues you have studied previously.

International Relations/global politics has become a growth area in academic research because it cuts across the traditional boundaries which separate the study of international relations from the study of domestic politics, comparative politics, and political economy. Shifting a focus from 'international' to 'global' indicates that globalisation has emerged as a dominant feature in contemporary world. Learning about global politics, therefore, is to acquire an understanding of the important forces that shape human world in the beginning of the 21st century. To learn about China and global politics is to know not only about globalisation and its consequences, but also to obtain an understanding of the role and potential of China's participation in the international affairs. This is a significant knowledge for all of us living in Hong Kong under China's sovereignty.

I hope that you will find this course informative, updated and thoroughly enjoyable.

Purpose of this Course Guide

This Course Guide prepares you for studying the course. After this introduction, which gives a general overview of the course and lists its aims and learning outcomes, there are sections on:

  • course materials

  • course assessment including information about assignments and examinations

  • tutor support.

The Course Guide suggests the amount of time you are likely to need to complete the course successfully, and gives you a general guide as to when your assignments and the Project are due. For detailed information on your assignments and the Project, see the Assignment File, and the Project Unit.

By now, you should have completed at least one other OUHK course, so you should have an understanding of the study skills required for distance learning and be familiar with how OUHK courses are organized. Even so, you should read this Course Guide very thoroughly before looking at the units and the course readings. Much of the content in this Course Guide will be familiar to you but some of the information is specific to CHST A312 Global Politics and China.

About the course

CHST A312 Global Politics and China is a one-year, 10-credit higher-level course. It is an elective course in the newly established Bachelor of Social Sciences Programme in China Studies and a required course for the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in China Studies, both offered by the School of Arts and Social Sciences at the Open University of Hong Kong. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, you are advised to take a foundation level course in Social Sciences (SOSC A101/SOSC A111C/SOSC A112C) before enrolling in CHST A312.

This course will introduce you to the study of global politics and to the study of China's role in global politics. The materials for this course are based mainly on the course CHST A312 Global Politics: Theory and Practice of International Relations, with modifications that take into consideration China's behaviour in the international arena.

Course aims

CHST A312 Global Politics and China aims to provide you with:

  • an analytical framework and a broad knowledge of the theories and practice of international relations; and

  • a knowledge of China's perspectives on and its role in world affairs.

CHST A312aims to demonstrate how theories may explain the behaviour of states and some important non-state actors and how the foreign policy of states reveals their interests and objectives. The course also aims to help you develop awareness of different perspectives and to formulate your own points of view.

Course learning outcomes

After completing CHST A312 Global Politics and China, you should be able to:

  1. Evaluate contending approaches to the study of international relations.

  2. Discuss new perspectives on emerging global politics and China's perspectives on international relations.

  3. Identify the changing nature of global conflicts and China's views on them.

  4. Assess the impact of economic factors on global politics.

  5. Analyse the role of international organizations in global politics and China's relations with them.

  6. Examine the significance of arms control and disarmament, and China's involvement in arms control and its views on war and peace.

Course organization

The following chart gives a general overview of the course structure.

Unit Title Weeks Assessment
1 Introducing global politics and China 4  
2 Explaining global politics 3  
3 The changing nature of conflict 4 Assignment 1
4 Power in global politics 4  
5 Conflict and global economics 3 Assignment 2
6 Diplomacy 3  
7 International organizations 4  
8 Arms control and disarmament 3 Assignment 3
9 The fundamentals of war 3  
10 China and global politics 4 Project
  Revision 1  
  TOTAL 36  

Course project

The course includes ten units and a project. The project assignment is one of the novel features of this course. It is designed to give you the opportunity to research an area of interest which relates to China's role and place in global politics. Towards the end of the course, you will be asked to write an essay on a topic of your own choice, drawing upon your own research of secondary library resources. The Project will take the form of an extended essay (counted as a double assignment) and should not be longer than 4,000 words. The Project will not only provide you with an opportunity to research a particular aspect of China's role in global politics, but also to offer you an opportunity to develop basic research skills, to follow up your own individual interests, and to consolidate your understanding of the course in the period just prior to the commencement of revision. You do not need to make any decision about the Project until the last couple of months of the course. We want you to work through Units 1 to 10 without being distracted by the Project Unit. However, you should whilst working your way through the course, think about what topics, either in the course or outside it, you might want to investigate more thoroughly. One entire tutorial will be dedicated to explaining the requirements of the Project. Tutorial help will guide you to:

  • choose a topic;

  • conduct relevant research on the topic; and

  • present your findings and results in a written assignment.

For details about the project, please refer to the Project Unit.

Course materials

The course materials consist of the following:

  • this Course Guide

  • ten study units and the project unit

  • a booklet of selected readings

  • the course Assignment File

  • the course Presentation Schedule.

Readings

You may be instructed in the study units to read articles or other supplementary materials. These will be available online or provided as hard copies at the backs of the study units.

E-Library E-Reserve readings

You may be instructed to read articles in the E-Library E-Reserve. To read these items, go to the OUHK E-Library and click on 'E-Reserve'. Log in, click 'Accept/Agree' on the Copyright Restrictions page, fill in the 'Course Code' box, and click 'Search'.

Useful websites

Access to the Internet will help you to:

  • make a comprehensive survey of the field of international relations;

  • obtain important official information from government websites;

  • keep in touch with the latest academic research on global politics; and

  • prepare your written assignments.

The following websites are useful sources of information:

Many more relevant websites are posted on the CHST A312 WebCT.

Assignment File

In the Assignment File, , you will find three assignments. For more information about the assignments and assessment of the assignments and your Project, see the assessment section below and the Assignment File.

Presentation Schedule

The Presentation Schedule is available on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). It gives the dates for completing assignments and the Project, and attending tutorials, day schools, and so on.

Course assessment

Assessment for CHST A312 is based on:

  • three assignments;

  • the project unit; and

  • an end-of-course three-hour examination.

Assignments

You are advised to study the units, especially the activities, self-test questions and review questions, before attempting to answer the assignments. Your best two assignment grades will be counted and 25% of your grade depends on your assignments.

Project

The Project lets you research an area of interest which relates to China's role and place in global politics. You will write up your research in an extended essay. Twenty five per cent of your grade depends on your Project.

Examination

At the end of the course, there will be a three-hour final examination. The examination will be comprehensive. You should not assume that the examination will concentrate on asking about a few topics and neglect some others. Fifty per cent of your final grade depends on your performance in the final examination.

The table below summarizes the assessment requirements for CHST A312 Global Politics and China.

Assessment type Marks
Assignments 1-3 Best two of three @12.5% = 25% of course marks
Project (required) 25% of course marks
Examination 50% of course marks
TOTAL 100% of course marks
Student support

Tutorials

Eleven tutorials are provided to help you throughout the course. One tutorial will be devoted to the discussion of the project.

You are strongly advised to attend the tutorials. The best way to get the most from tutorials is to study the course materials before attending and ask specific questions on aspects of the unit that you do not understand. If you cannot make it to some of the tutorials, you can telephone your tutor to discuss problems and questions. You can also post your queries on the message board of the WebCT.

Day schools

Two day schools are scheduled in which guest speakers will be invited to speak on selected topics relating to the issues raised by the course units.

Conclusion

The global world contains over 190 states. Most socioeconomic and political problems have international aspects. It is impossible to understand any country's domestic situation and international behaviour without knowledge of the theory and practice of international relations.

We hope that by the end of CHST A312 Global Politics and China, you will have gained this knowledge. We also hope that you will be able to analyse China's perspectives on the theory and practice of international relations and assess its role in world affairs.

Finally, we hope that this course will enable you to understand the changing nature of global politics and critically examine global challenges and problems. To help you do this, we try to relate our theoretical discussions to practical real-life issues and problems. As you complete this course, it is very important that you take note of international political and economic issues reported in the media, and try to discuss these issues with fellow students and tutors.

Good luck with the course!