Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2017 - HIST 268 D100

STT-History of Taiwan: Island and the World (3)

Class Number: 3958

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 7, 2017: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 15, 2017
    Sat, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A broad survey of Taiwanese history from the prehistoric period to the present. Key topics include European expansion, cross-strait interaction, (sub-) ethnic relations, and (post-) colonial development. Using films, novels, and primary texts, this course aims to help students to acquire basic knowledge about Taiwan in broader context.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course offers a broad survey of Taiwanese history from the prehistoric period to the present. No history background required—we encourage students from all disciplines to join this course! You will learn a number of interesting things, including European colonialism in Taiwan (Dutch, Spanish, and the seventeenth century), culture and life of aboriginal peoples, the rise of Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) and his correlation with Manchus and Han Chinese settlers (and pirates!), numerous sub-ethnic feuds and rebellions during the Qing Dynasty, the advent of Japanese colonial rule, and the coming of the Kuomintang—its martial law system and the life of ordinary people during the Cold War (and the campaign of “Chinese Cultural Renaissance” and resistance against “Communist Bandits”). The course also covers the most recent developments in cross-strait relations, including the interactions between people—not just political parties—from both sides. We will examine movies, novels, and some inspiring documentaries regarding the life of Taiwanese people, both domestic and abroad. Core to this class is to understand the world of Taiwanese people in various aspects. While we’re enjoying bubble tea and delicious Taiwanese foods, we’ll also be making sense of the dynamics behind the spread of Taiwanese culture. Moreover, we will seek a way to build a dialogue between Taiwan and the world, something we can and should do when cultural encounters and exchanges take place around the globe.

Grading

  • Attendance and class participation 12%
  • Weekly journals: (3 entries before Week 7 + 3 entries after Week 7) 18%
  • Mid-term examination 30%
  • Final examination 40%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Murray A. Rubinstein ed., Taiwan: A New History (Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, 2006).

RECOMMENDED READING:

Tonio Andrade, How Taiwan Became Chinese: Dutch, Spanish, and Han Colonization in the Seventeenth Century (New York: Columbia University Press, 2008).

John Shepherd, Statecraft and Political Economy on the Taiwan Frontier, 1600–1800 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1993).

Andrew D. Morris ed., Japanese Taiwan: Colonial Rule and its Contested Legacy (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015).

Leo Ching, Becoming Japanese: Colonial Taiwan and the Politics of Identity Formation (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001).

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS