This course provides an overall introduction to Chinese civilization and its impact on contemporary Chinese family and society. Course content reflects recent intellectual interests shared in China and United States. Topics include: Chinese language and literature, science and art, geography and ethnicity, religion and education, fashion and cuisine, commercialization and globalization. Meanwhile, the course is designed to improve students’ Chinese language skills to fully express themselves in both academic and informal settings. By the end of the term students will be able to evaluate for themselves both materials from Chinese sources and the varied interpretations given to these sources. The diverse themes and approaches in this course will help students get better prepared for their TCFL profession.

Readings include both English and Chinese texts. Classroom language is mandarin Chinese. Lectures will be facilitated with PPT slides and short videos. Students will be evaluated by their performance of discussions, oral presentations and written reports.