ASIA 3786: Nation, City and Identity in China: From Opium Wars to Megacities (2023-2024)

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Winter 2024

In the past three decades rapid economic development and modernization programs have significantly altered the traditional urban system in China. The country now has the largest number of megacities but the vast “floating population” of migrants continue to struggle with their lack of residency rights in the cities. This course traces China’s urban development since the late 19th century at the backdrop of China’s re-staging itself as a modern power in a global world. It explores how Chinese cities and its urban system have shaped in ideology and practice, and changes to social life and cultural identity in the modern history.