Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: CHINESE SOCIETIES AND CULTURES

Department: Cntr Lang & Intercultural Comm

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Language of Instruction:Taught in Chinese

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): CHIN 264 OR CHIN 206

Description: This course aims to develop the students’ ability to engage with and discuss a variety of social and cultural topics in different Chinese-speaking communities in the world. Students will apply higher-order thinking skills in the Chinese language, as they discuss, analyze, compare, and contrast a range of social topics across Chinese societies, such as different communities in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Chinese diaspora. The topics cover some current social issues in Chinese-speaking communities, including ethnicity and identity, gender inequalities, homelessness, familiar and interpersonal relations, and work-life balance. Class activities and course assignments will prepare students to demonstrate their awareness of and sensitivity to the aforementioned topics, using Chinese that is sociolinguistically appropriate, from vocabulary, grammar, pragmatics, to discourse. Students will have ample opportunities to apply the knowledge of the topics, language skills, and critical thinking skills during meaningful discussions with members of the target communities.