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150106 SE Governing from behind the curtain: The Empress Dowager Cixi (M3 GG/LK) (2019W)

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 15 - Ostasienwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

This course starts on October 9, 2019. Ths meeting on October 2, 2019 will not take place.

  • Wednesday 02.10. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 09.10. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 16.10. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 23.10. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 30.10. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 06.11. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 13.11. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 20.11. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 27.11. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 04.12. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 11.12. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 08.01. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 15.01. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 22.01. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Wednesday 29.01. 09:15 - 10:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This class will deal with the Empress Dowager Cixi who is acknowledged as the most powerful politician of late Qing China. However, the historiography dealing with the second half of the 19th and the early years of the 20th century has a clear gender bias. Cixi is mentioned, but most of the time in a very negative way, and she is not at the center of the narrative. The male politicians of the time, especially Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai and Prince Gong still play a dominant role in the existing mainstream narratives of this epoque. The seminar will deconstruct the existing gender bias and develop an alternative narrative with Cixi as its center.
We will dicuss theories of biography writing as well as gender theories in order to make our analysis avoid the above mentioned gender bias and in order to approach the issue of biography in a reflective manner. Subsequently, we will discuss the most important political and personal issues related to Cixi and analyse existing narratives on her and the nearly 80 years of Chinese history during which she played a major role.

Assessment and permitted materials

Students are asked to contribute to the calsse by giving oral presentations in groups or alone. The topics for the presentations can be found on the related moodle platform. In addition, students taking this class as part of their MA studies have to write a term paper on the following issue: Compare the novel Anchee Min: The Last Empress (New York 2007) to one of the biographies discussed in class. Focus on analyzing the differences and similarities between a fictional and a historical biography.
Students taking the class as part of their BA studies have to write a summary of the seminar discussions answering the question: Is Cixi at the center of politics in late Imperial China or is her influence limited to governing from behind the curtain according to decisions taken by the male politicians of her time?

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Regular and active participation: 25% of the final grade
Presentation: 35% of the final grade
Term paper: 40% of the final grade
All requirements have to be fulfilled to be graded positively. Non-attention is limited to three sessions. If students are non-attendant more than three times (without special reasons), the requirement of regular and active participation counts as not fulfilled.

Examination topics

The term paper for MA students have a minimum length of 20 pages.
The term paper for BA students have a minimum length of 10 pages.
Presentations are requested to cover approximately 45 minutes.

Reading list

Anchee Min: The Last Empress, Ney York 2007
Zhang Rong: Kaiserinwitwe Cixi, München 2014 (alternatively you can read the English original)
Sterling Seagrave: Dragon Lady: the life and legend of the last empress of China, London 1992

Association in the course directory

GG/LK 421/422
MU3 UK SE 5 ECTS
GG/LK 410

Last modified: Tu 14.01.2025 00:16