Traditional Chinese Culture and Society

CNS/SSI 249: Traditional Chinese Culture and Society
Dr. Gregory Ruf
gruf@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Office: SBS S-537
Telephone: 632-9013

Course Description
This course offers an anthropological introduction to what is popularly referred to as "traditional" China. It focus on aspects of culture and society during the late imperial era and early Republic era (mainly the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries). Yet it also examines more ancient "traditions" as well, including a consideration of life in pre-imperial China. The predominant perspective is one of historical ethnography, with a particular concern for the details of everyday local life, how they were recorded, and how they might be interpreted. In this context, students will explore issues of ecology and livelihood, space and time perceptions, gender and social organization, language and scholarship, state formation and administration , religion and ritual, and economic management. The course concludes with an historical overview of major events and developments form the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth.
Requirements and Evaluation
Regular attendance is expected; students are granted two unexcused absences without penalty. Required readings and any other assignments should be completed before class-time, and questions prepared in advance for discussion. Final grades will be calculated on the following basis:
  • Class Participation (10%)
  • Family Genealogy (10%)
  • Quizzes (20%)
  • Midterm Exam (30%)
  • Final Exam (30%)
Assigned Readings
Assigned Readings will be placed on reserve in the main (Melville) library. A limited selection of recommended materials will also be placed on reserve in the Chinese library (SBS Building, N-504).
The following texts have been ordered through "Stony Books" (across from the Stony Brook LIRR station):
Eastman, Lloyd E.
1988      Family, Fields, and Ancestors; Constancy and Change in China's Social and
              Economic History, 1550-1949. NY: Oxford University Press. 0-19-505270-6 (pbk)
Ebrey, Patricia Buckley
1993     Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. 2nd edition. New York:
             Simon and Schuster. 0-02-908753-X (pbk)
Pruitt, Ida
1967     [1945] A Daughter of Han: The Autobiography of a Chinese Working Woman.
             Stanford: Stanford University Press. 0847-0606-9 (pbk)
Study Groups
Study Groups will be organized to facilitated discussion and review of course material. Be sure to obtain the name, phone number, and email address of all members of your group. This may assist you in scheduling study or review sessions, or in obtaining copies of class notes for days when you are absent. If you miss a class, do the readings, review the lecture notes of a classmate, and then see me if you have specific questions. All students are encouraged to meet periodically with me during the semester.
If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may affect your ability to carry out assigned course work, you are urged to contact the staff at the Disabled Student Services (DSS) office, Humanities 133 (2-6748/TDD). DSS will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation of disability are confidential.



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