The main goal of this course is to help students gain a detailed and in-depth understanding of China’s role today and of China’s relationships. At the same time the course aims to introduce students to the social, economic and political system of China, a country of particular and growing importance in the modern world, but still relatively unknown to many in Greece
In particular during the semester we will examine:

China’s political and economic history and its political culture.
Issues related to China’s integration into the world economy and the challenges it poses to the country .
The geopolitical implications of China’s rise, on the plans of itself and other powers in the region.
Schedule of lectures (note: we may not be able to adhere strictly to this plan):
1st: Introduction
2nd: The glorious imperial past: China until the begining of the 19th century
3rd: China and Western domination: the era of humiliation (19th century – begining of 20th century)
4th: China until the middle of the 20th century: the era of revolutions
5th: China during the Cold War (1949-89)
6th: 1989-2022: Economic reforms and politics
7th: China & the USA. Economic cooperation or conflict for the hegemony of the international system?
8th: China’s relations with the rest of Asia and Oceania
9th: China’s relations with Europe, Africa and Latin America
10th: Energy resources, energy and environmental policy
11th: Seminar/lecture (Chinese culture and politics)
12th: Presentations of students’ essays
13th: Essay presentations/review

After the end of the course students will be able to:

Have a better critical oversight of the developments in the East Asia and Pacific Regions
Recognize and fully understand the significance and geopolitical implications of China’s rapid rise
Assess economic developments in the region and their impact on the World
Understand the importance of the Chinese historical experience in the economic and political choices of the Chinese leadership

Essay (including presentation in class) or written exams

Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
– Σωτήρης Πετρόπουλος, Αστέρης Χουλιάρας (επιμέλεια): Η Κίνα και οι άλλοι. Οι σχέσεις της Κίνας με την Ευρώπη και τον Κόσμο, Παπαζήσης, 2013
– Rana Mitter: Η Σύγχρονη Κίνα. Μια πολύ σύντομη εισαγωγή, Πεδίο, 2022
Additional bibliography for study
– Παπασωτηρίου Χαράλαμπος: Η Κίνα από την ουράνια αυτοκρατορία στην ανερχόμενη υπερδύναμη του 21ου αιώνα, Ποιότητα, 2013.
– Σωτήρης Χαλικιάς: Παράδοση και νεωτερικότητα στην Κίνα, Ίνδικτος 2013
– Patricia Buckley Ebrey: Η Κίνα από την αρχαιότητα έως σήμερα, Οδυσσέας, 2008
– Le Monde Diplomatique: Κομφούκιος, Μάο, αγορά, Σαββάλας, 2008
– Graham Allison: Σε τροχιά πολέμου. Μπορούν ΗΠΑ και Κίνα να αποφύγουν την παγίδα του Θουκυδίδη; Πεδίο, 2020
– Youngmin Kim, Ha-Kyoung Lee & Seongun Park: “The Confucian Tradition and Politics” Oxford Research Encyclopedia (online publication 2019) (https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.991)
– Elizabeth C Economy: The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State, Oxford University Press, 2019
– John W Garver: China’s Quest: The History of the Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic (Revised and Updated), Oxford University Press, 2018
– Zheng Wang: Never Forget National Humiliation: Historical Memory in Chinese Politics and Foreign Relations, Columbia University Press, 2014
– Orville Schell, John Delury, John Delury: Wealth and Power: China’s Long March to the Twenty-First Century, Random House Trade, 2014