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SMC Core Curriculum Course Proposal Form Fall 2013
Electronically submit this course form and attachments to the Chair of the
CCC by October 1. Please submit a separate proposal for each desired
learning goal.
1. Name of Proposer: E. Elena Songster
2. Email address: ees4@stmarys-ca.edu
3. Department/Program of Proposer: HISTORY
4. Name of Department/Program housing the course: HISTORY
5. Name(s) of Program Director/Department Chair (if not the proposer):
Myrna Santiago
6. Course Acronym, Number and Title: HIST 162: Modern China
7. Proposal is for All Sections of the course: __Yes___
Proposal is for instructor’s section(s) (Pathways to Knowledge only):
_____
8. Course Prerequisites (if any): None
9. Unit Value of Course: 1
10. Mark with an X the Learning Goal for which the course is being
proposed. (Please submit a separate proposal for each desired goal.)
Pathways to Knowledge (at most one)
Artistic Understanding – Artistic Analysis only: ____
Artistic Understanding – Creative Practice only: ____
Artistic Understanding – Both Artistic Analysis and Creative Practice: ____
Mathematical Understanding: ____
Scientific Understanding: ____
Social, Historical, Cultural Understanding: ____
Christian Foundations: ____
Theological Explorations: ____
Engaging the World (as appropriate, generally zero to two)
American Diversity: ____
Common Good: ____
Community Engagement: ____
Global Perspectives: __X__
Teaching and Learning:
This class, HIST 162: Modern China, enables students to “demonstrate
an understanding of the world from a specific non-US and non-western
European perspective,” namely a Chinese perspective. Over the course of
the semester students read scholarship that is based on Chinese language
Songster/HIST 162—Modern China/GP
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primary sources and read translations of Chinese writings, speeches, and
laws. Students are also exposed to documentary clips that show live footage
of historical events and interviews with people who participated in them.
Students are given opportunities to see clips of films made by Chinese film
makers and to analyze visual sources produced by both Chinese and
westerners. Furthermore, students learn that there is not simply one
Chinese voice or perspective on the past as they read contesting
interpretations and historical debates on topics as diverse as the role of
women, responses to the Japanese invasion, and whether or not
communism is applicable to the Chinese situation. In addition to being
exposed to many Chinese perspectives on the past, students must also
demonstrate that they understand these perspectives and can distinguish
them from western interpretations and sources and from each other. In
their papers they analyze primary sources which are Chinese sources in
translation. Their exams offer another opportunity for them to demonstrate
an understanding of a non-western perspective. One example of an exam
question is: “With specific examples compare and contrast the leadership of
Empress Dowager Cixi and Mao Zedong, highlighting both their strengths
and weaknesses as leaders.” This particular question requires students to
be able to discuss the relationship between these leaders and their people
and how they were seen by the people. An analysis of leadership cannot be
done properly without also demonstrating an understanding of the
perspective of the people being led and the leaders view of her or his role.
From the first day of class to the moment they walk out of the final exam,
students will be engulfed in Chinese perspectives on the past century of
history.
Songster/HIST 162—Modern China/GP