Justice / Zhengyi: Cross-Cultural Understanding Between China and America
This course is designed to bring together two groups of students on our campus: international students coming from China and American students learning Chinese at UofSC. The chief goal in the course is to facilitate American/Chinese cross-cultural understanding of justice through a dialogue between domestic and international students with the shared foundation of engagement in one another’s cultures. We use texts both in Chinese and in English to interrogate our assumptions about the meanings of justice in our own cultures, and also to learn about conceptions of justice in another culture. We begin with readings on traditional conceptions of justice in both China and in the United States, and then move on to an examination of cultural products such as films and short stories that are heavily engaged with the theme of justice. We ask questions such as: Is there an overlap in conceptions of justice between Chinese martial artists and American vigilantes? How are gender issues resolved differently in both countries depending on concepts of justice? Do people in the US and people in China seek justice in similar places such as the courts? The course is taught mainly in English, but primary materials are made available in Chinese, and, depending on the proficiency of individual students, discussions may occur in Mandarin. The course enhances internationalization among UofSC’s domestic students, and also helps to integrate Chinese international students into American campus life through a sharp focus on the issue of justice.
Click a title below to view student projects from CHIN398 this semester!
- China’s One Child Policy
- China’s Social Credit System
- Chinese Environmental Policy
- Corruption in China
- Feminism in China
- The History and Significance of Chinese Foot-Binding
- Justice and the Four Beautiful Ladies of China
- Justice, My Foot! Revenge, Wuxia, and Kung Fu
- An Overview of the Chinese Criminal Justice System
- Pro-Chinese Communities
